
Class JD*- 

Book. - / 6. 

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COPYRIGHT DEFOSm 



"WITH HIM" 



■or 



Studies in the Epistle to the 

EPHESIANS 



By 
W? LEON TUCKER 

Editor. Wonderful Word Magazine. Pastor and Teacher 
New York City 



Published by 

THE BOOK STALL 

113 FULTON ST. NEW YORK CITY 



13-' 



COPYRIGHT, 1917 
W. LEON TUCKER 



OCT 25I9I7 



©GU476761 



TO PAUL RADER 

A friend in the fellowship of the 
faith, and a beloved brother in the 
bond of the Body of Christ. 

New York City. W. Leon Tucker. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. Introductory Foreword 9 

II. The Crisis and Christ 14 

III. The Structure of the Book 20 

IV. Tie Calling of the Church 25 

V. The Priority of the Calling 37 

VI. The Predestined Purpose of the Calling 43 

VII. Predestination — Revelation — Dispensation 49 

VIII. Christ — Creator, Conservator and Consummator ! 53 

IX. The Sealing and Securing Spirit 60 

X. The Prayer of Paul— The Three "Whats" 70 

XI. Jew and Gentile "Together" 81 

XII. The Messenger and the Mystery 92 

XIII. The Display of His Grace 99 

XIV. Paul's Second Prayer 105 

XV. The Conduct of the Church Ill 

XVI. Spirituality in Social Sphere and Domestic Domain ... 118 

XVII. The Conflict of the Church 123 



EPHESIANS 



CHAPTER I 
INTRODUCTORY FOREWORD 

K<r>/ REE from all apologetics of human reason and 
A Lu speech, the Word of God in its opening statement 
jjy^ authoritatively declares : 

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the 
earth." Thus we are introduced to the Creator and His 
creation and are instructed concerning the scope and the 
twofold sphere of this creation, namely, "the heavens and 
the earth" (R. V.). These two spheres are again brought 
before us in later Scriptures, the Epistles of Paul (Colos- 
sians, Philippians), where we see them related not only to 
the creation but to redemption. Things concerning the first- 
mentioned sphere, "the heavens," is not the subject of the 
Bible, for the major portion of the Bible is concerning the 
"earth," not the "heavenlies." Credit has been given a great 
astronomer for a pertinent remark that "the Bible was not 
written to tell how the heavens go, but to tell how to go to 
heaven." 

Whatever truth this statement may include, it is quite 
sure the Bible, in the body of its writings, is not concerned 
with affairs in the heavens, but rather with events related 
to the earth. Dr. Sir Robert Anderson, in his "Coming 
Prince," says : 

"The Bible is far more than a text-book of theology and morals, 
or even than a guide to heaven. It is a record of the progressive 
revelation God has vouchsafed to man and the Divine history of our 
race in connection with that revelation." 

From the first and faithful record of the original creation 
(Gen. 1 :1) to the recreation and restoration of the original 
creation (Gen. 1 :1 to 2:1), and forward on to the consum- 



10 EPHBSIANS 

mation recorded in the Book of Revelation, the Scriptures 
hold constantly before us the one great and principal truth 
that God has chosen the earth on which to enact an earthly 
program, with an earthly people, the same issuing in earth- 
ly blessing. The world that now is, took order and organi- 
zation to become the home of man, who is created in the 
image of God, and who at the proper time is placed in do- 
minion over it (Gen. 1 :26, 28). Its fullness and fruit is 
at his disposal and its plentitude placed at his hand (Gen. 
1:29,31). 

Man has come for a long tenure, and the successive sea- 
sons, occurring, concurring and recurring, are guaranteed 
and assured by God in the terms of the lease granting man 
possession for a period of great extent. 

When sin enters the world (Rom. 5:12) and the federal 
head falls, entailing racial calamity and involving all his 
offspring beyond human reparation and restoration, the 
earth and creation send up a groan which continues to the 
present, for the groaning creation is destined to deliverance 
and to the display of God's purpose in the coming days of 
the regeneration. 

When the fallen sons of Adam, by natural corruption 
and supernatural irruption, fill the earth with violence, God 
in mercy and justice sends deluge and destruction to pre- 
serve His purpose and His people in the earth (Gen. 6 — 8). 

Upon the cleansed earth Noah and his sons go forth and 
at the conclusion of Genesis 10, which is the Ethnological 
and Historical Record of the Nations (Delitozch says 
"Roll-Call") we read: 

"These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their 
generations, in their nations ; and by these were the nations 
divided in the earth after the flood" (Gen. 10:32). Then 
follows the scattering of the nations to their places on the 
habitable earth (Deut. 32:8), after which follows the 



INTRODUCTORY FOREWORD 11 

CALL OF ABRAHAM 

From the twelfth chapter of Genesis we have unfolded in 
detail the manner in which God called a solitary man out 
from the rest of the world "to become the head of an elect 
nation, destined throughout the long course of the world 
ages never again to mingle on equal terms with the rest of 
the world's stream." And this choice in Abram of Israel 
as the One Nation peculiar to His purpose was not a dis- 
play of favoritism, of which there is none with God, but 
rather His choice in Israel was an object to a Divine end in 
view, for we read 

"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy coun- 
try, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land 
that I will shew you; and I will make of thee a great nation, and I 
will bless thee and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a bless- 
ing; and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curs- 
eth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" 
(Gen. 12:1-3). 

Thus our attention is still held to the earth and God's 
purpose in the earth. 

After God's choice of the One Nation, Israel, we find 
choice after choice within this nation. "If Abram is called 
to give up his nationality, God will make of him a great 
nation ; if his family, it is that all families may be blessed 
through him, and if he gives up his descent line and name, 
God will begin a new line in him and make his name great." 

The tribe is chosen, the family within the tribe, the house 
and the virgin within the house, and when the Old Testa- 
ment is brought to its close the Law and the Prophets are 
awaiting fulfillment in the coming of Him who was the 
burden of their promise and prophecy. 

Four hundred years of silence covering the period from 
Malachi to Matthew is broken by the advent of the prom- 
ised Messiah to the House of David and the Nation of Is- 
rael. He was sent to bless Israel and through them the 
nations. His coming to them was God's plan for the world. 
Indeed, His coming- to Israel was the Divine and destined 



12 EPHESIANS 

way outlined in the program of prophecy by which the na- 
tions of the earth are blessed and the sovereignty of the 
earth passes into the hands of the Son of man. 

The story of Messiah's reception by Israel is quickly 
told. "He came to His own (Israel), but His own received 
Him not." He was delivered by them into the hands of 
Gentiles and without human cause He is put to death. It 
was the terrible death of the cross ! 

He arose from the dead and in this resurrection from 
the dead it is found He is not yet beyond Israel's call, and 
on the memorable day of Pentecost Peter is selected and 
sent to call upon Israel to repent of this murder of Mes- 
siah. Peter assures them in the great power of the Holy 
Ghost, that the "sure mercies of David" guarantees to them 
His return and their restoration and the restitution of all 
their national hopes (Acts 3:19,21). Here, as often before, 
they would not. 

Their ears are heavy, hearts dull, eyes blind, they will 
not convert and be healed. 

Stephen's address in Acts 7 brings the national climax 
and crisis ! They have not only slain Messiah, but all that 
are "sent unto them." The blood of another son of Abra- 
ham is required of them ! Unbelief has come to its full in 
this nation of the long-suffering God. 

"As your fathers did, so do ye," is the terrible indict- 
ment ! It is all over ! We have but to await till the record 
of the Acts comes to a conclusion to behold the nation ju- 
dicially and temporarily set aside. God now turns atten- 
tion to the Gentiles, and is the official notice, as proclaimed 
in Acts 28 :28 : 

"Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent 
unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it." 

Until this time we have been tracing God's purpose for 
the earth through and in Israel. 

We have not considered the "heavenlies ;" indeed, since 
the mention of that sphere away back in Genesis, we have 



INTRODUCTORY FOREWORD 13 

not thought of looking that way, so concerned have we 
been with God's purpose for the earth. 

To be sure, there has been an occasional glance directed 
towards the heavens, but as a place of contemplation and 
hope, and as a position to which our eyes are lifted, hearts 
centered and our destinies concerned — such has not been 
our consideration. We have now and then lifted our eyes 
to the aerial and stellar heavens, but to heavenly places far 
above all principality and power and might, and dominion, 
where Christ is raised and seated, this is a new sphere ! It 
is all new and divergingly different ! 

Yet this is the place to which our attention is directed 
for the first time in the Scriptures and the direction comes 
to us from the Book of Ephesians. 

What does it all mean? Why are we thus taken from 
the earth and God's purpose therein and turned toward the 
heavenlies? Has God cast off His people whom He fore- 
knew and abandoned His purpose on the earth? God for- 
bid. There is a parenthesis in His purpose to be filled in 
and this is the subject of the Ephesian Epistle. 

Before we approach this "Alps of the New Testament" 
(Pierson) the writer greatly desires that each pray the 
prayer of the Apostle as recorded in Ephesians. Let us 
pray in humility: 

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, 
may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowl- 
edge of Him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; 
that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the 
riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And what is the 
exceeding greatness of His power, to us-ward who believe, according 
to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ 
when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right 
hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, 
and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only 
in this world, but also in that which is to come. And hath put all 
things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things 
to the Church" (Eph. 1:17-23). 



CHAPTER II 

THE CRISIS AND THE CHRIST 

"There might have been agitation, anxiety and terrible perturba- 
tion of spirit when the claims of Christ were first presented and 
brought into sharp conflict with previous convictions and tradition- 
ary prepossessions, but the turmoil had subsided into quiescent and 
immovable confidence in the Son of God." — John Eadie, D.D., L.L.D., 
in "Ephesians." 

**%^3H'E day of Pentecost was fully come! 
CQ\ The Holy Ghost from heaven ! 
*****& The Gospels open with the advent of the Son of 
God from heaven and the Book of Acts with the advent of 
the Holy Ghost from heaven. The Holy Spirit of God had 
come down to the earth because the Son of God had gone 
up to heaven. The One came out because the Other had 
gone in. Pentecost was what Dr. Gordon has beautifully 
and significantly called — "The birthday of the Holy Ghost." 

As the Son of God had a day of coming into the world, 
so also the Spirit of God. 

When the fullness of time was come God sent His Son 
(Gal. 4:4). 

When the "day of Pentecost was fully come" God sent 
His Holy Spirit. And certainly it is true that "as the pres- 
ence of the Son, exalting and revealing the Father, is the 
great fact of the Gospels, so the presence of the Spirit, ex- 
alting and revealing the Son, is the great fact of Acts." 
And the method and ministry of the Son and the Spirit are 
likewise similar. As the Son, who came to reveal the Fa- 
ther, offered Himself first to Israel, so also the Spirit, who 
came to reveal the Son, offers Him first to Israel. This 
was the Divine order; "to the Jew first and also to the 
Greek." 



THE CRISIS AND CHRIST 15 

In the Gospels it is to the nation of Israel first, then the 
nations (Matt. 10:6; 15:24). 

In John's Gospel we behold the Son of God coming to 
His own people Israel, who reject Him (John 1:11,12), 
and at the close of His ministry He is sought by the 
Greeks (John 12:20). . 

In the Acts, as in the Gospels, the offer is to the Jew 
first, then to the Gentiles. 

Peter's sermon at Pentecost follows this Divine order. 
Hear his first word : 

"Ye men of JUDEA and all that dwell at JERUSALEM, be this 
known unto YOU" (Acts 2:14). 

and again: 

"Ye men of ISRAEL hear these words" (Acts 2:22; 2:36). 

Read again the record of Peter's second sermon and hear 
the conclusion. Addressing "ye men of Israel" (Acts 3: 
12), he says: "Unto you FIRST, God, having raised up His 
Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every- 
one of YOU from his iniquities" (Acts 3 :26). 

Again a little later after the Gentiles had received and 
believed, we read : 

"But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with 
envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, 
contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed 
bold, and said, it was necessary that the Word of God should first 
have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge 
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo we turn to the Gentiles. 
For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be 
a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto 
the ends of the earth" (Acts 13:45-48). 

But while the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Acts is 
to the Jew first, it is also to the Greek, and at chapter 10 
we behold the kingdom of heaven opened unto the Gen- 
tiles. This is what Scofield calls "Peter's second use of 
the keys." (See Scofield Bible, Acts 10.) This order in 
Acts is the Divine order. Blessing for the Gentiles suc- 
ceeds the blessing of Israel. God has chosen Israel that in 
them He may bless the nations. Thus we see the ministry 



16 EPHESIANS 

of the Book of Acts, which is divided unto Peter and Paul, 
is twofold, viz. : 

I. To the Covenant People Israel, — the Circumcision. 

II. To the Strangers to the Covenants, the Gentiles, — the 
Uncircumcision. 

God had raised up an Apostle whose office He magnified 
that they might minister to both the Circumcision and the 
Uncircumcision. This the early Church recognized. 

"When they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was com- 
mitted unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision w?.a unto Peter; 
(for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the 
circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles : ) and 
when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived 
the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas 
the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, 
and they unto the circumcision" (Gal. 2:7-9). 

This subject will be further considered in this our study 
of Ephesians under a division entitled, "The Liabilities of 
Israel" and "The Disabilities of the Gentiles." 

But it must be remembered that "the birthday of the 
Holy Ghost was also the birthday of the Apostolic Church. 
Here, again, the order was the Jew first and then the Gen- 
tile. The first members of the Church were Jews The 
Gentiles were called afterward. 

Throughout the Book of Acts we see a company of be- 
lieving Jews and believing Gentiles, but nowhere in the 
Book of Acts do we see national reception of Christ by any 
of the nations. Only individuals of the Circumcision and 
individuals of the Uncircumcision. In fact but a remnant 
of either believed and received. This opportunity was af- 
forded them both. 

Dr. James H. Brookes had clear vision here, and in his 
invaluable work, "Israel and the Church," recently issued 
by the Bible Institute Colportage Association, he says : 

"If Israel had repented and turned to God in obedience to the 
apostolic summons, their sins would have been blotted out, the mil- 
lennial glory would have set in, the Lord Jesus would have returned 



THE CRISIS AND CHRIST 17 

from heaven, and restored the kingdom to Israel as the center of 
His earthly empire, and the channel of blessing to all other nations. 
This is what Peter taught, and what the Holy Spirit said through 
his mouth, as God lingered in tender mercy over Jerusalem, like the 
slowly departing glory in the days of Ezekiel. But Israel still re- 
jected Him, and so heaven still received Him, and will continue 
to receive Him until the times of the restitution of all things. 

"There is another passage, however, so perfectly clear in the light 
it throws upon the two already quoted, that it must remove every 
shadow of doubt concerning the future of Israel. For some time 
after the disclosure to which allusion has just been made, Peter was 
unable to look beyond the conversion of his own countrymen, in his 
zeal to hasten the crowning day of Christ, and it required a vision to 
convince him that his ascended Lord wished him to carry the Gospel 
to the Roman Centurion and to the Gentiles (Acts 10). Paul's com- 
mission, on the other hand, from the date of his remarkable conver- 
sion on the road to Damascus, embraced both divisions of the human 
race, for Jesus said of him to Ananias, 'He is a chosen vessel unto 
Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, the kings, and the chil- 
dren of Israel,' the distinction between Jew and Gentile being still 
observed (Acts 9:15)." 

THE CRISIS AND THE CHRIST 

It was at this point a seeming crisis was reached and a 
predicament presented. But God has never faced a crisis 
for He has always trusted in Christ ! If we may say it rev- 
erently, God has never come to a panic for He has always 
worked to a purposed plan ! No surprises have ever over- 
taken God in the administration of the ages that He should 
find it necessary to suddenly make contrivance to relieve 
Himself of sudden embarrassment. He is a sovereign God 
and in Him is all sufficiency! 

From the time the Son took the first step in His humili- 
ation and became the "first-born of all creation," He be- 
came the responsible trustee unto the Father, who placed 
the affairs of the ages in His hands ! 

The situation summarized is this: The Jew and the 
Gentile are distinct. This distinction is Divinely placed by 
God and what God has put asunder let no man join togeth- 
er. It is an offense not to distinguish between the Jew, 
Gentile and Church of Christ (I Cor. 10:32). 

It is equally an offense to each of them and the stuc^nt 
should study to show himself "approved unto God, a work- 
man that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the 



18 EPHESIANS 

Word of Truth" (II Tim. 2:15), so as to avoid giving of- 
fense to either or any of this triple division which God 
Himself has made. 

The blessing of the Gentile nations depends upon Israel. 
Apart from Israel there is nothing for the nations. If Is- 
rael be set aside and a dispensation of judgment measured 
unto them, resulting in their removal from the land and the 
city, with David's throne in ruins, what can the believing 
Jew and the believing Gentile do? To whom shall they 
look? A remnant from the nation of Israel has believed 
and received Christ, but the nation is set aside for an age 
time judgment. A remnant from the Gentiles has believed 
and received but the nations must await Israel's recovery 
and blessing before they may have their portion, so de- 
pendent upon Israel. 

What will be done? O! the plenitude of God's purpose! 
They are to be joined into one Body in which they will nei- 
ther be recognized as Jew nor Gentile, but as one in Christ 
Jesus. The middle wall of partition, which God Himself 
placed between them, is taken away. He abolished the en- 
mity to make in Himself one new man and the foundation 
of this reconciliation of God into one Body, was the work 
of the cross (Eph. '2:14-16). 

THERE IS NO CRISIS WHERE THERE IS CHRIST! 

The situation which seemed to be a crisis is not a crisis, 
lo, it is but a climax! A way was made for the dispensa- 
tion now present without doing violence to former purpose 
or future performance! 

It is not to be lightly considered that in bringing about 
this hitherto unheard-of union between the Jew and the 
Gentile in the Church, was without the abrogation of God's 
former purpose in Israel and through them the blessing of 
the nations, according to the original promise to Abram, 
in the coming age! 



THE CRISIS AND CHRIST 19, 

His purpose in the future is unchanged, but here His 
program for the present is proclaimed. We are not a little 
grieved when now and then we hear persons who know 
nothing of the prophetic program, say : "God will have no 
special dealings with Israel in the future. He has includ- 
ed their national blessing in the Church as well as the rest 
of the nations." 

The Church is not a movement for national blessing of 
either Jew or Gentile. It is an election from the nations. 
It does not include in its scope universal blessing, it is indi- 
vidual. Universal blessing for the earth is promised in Is- 
rael. The present dispensation is distinctive and any 
attempt to make it other, leads to a confusion and a tangle 
which can be cleared and corrected only by strict adherence 
to God's revealed purpose in this dispensation. 

I tell you, the "but now in Christ Jesus" of Ephesians, 
does not set aside the "then shall the ransomed of the Lord 
return and come to Zion," of Isaiah ! 

Though the Ephesian Epistle leads us to the breadth and 
length and height and depth of God's purpose in the 
Church, we must turn aside to speak a word in behalf of 
Israel ! The people of our prayers ! While we contemplate 
our position in Christ we will not forget the people now in 
dispersion, whose scattering made possible our gathering! 

God bless the nation which is now bearing Thy judg- 
ments while we are enjoying Thy grace, Amen! 

We shall trace the triumph of God in the dispensation 
now present and shall behold the priority of God's purpose 
in the Church. Ephesians is the Book of the grace of God, 
and we will discover that the merits of the Jew and the 
demerits of the Gentile do not interfere with God's display 
of grace, for grace is apart from either ! 



CHAPTER in 
THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK 



"One of the mountain peaks of Revelation, disclosing the ultimate 
and crowning purposes of God in Christ and in the Church. As usual 
with Saint Paul, the great division is Doctrinal (1 — 11), and Practi- 
cal (4 — 6), the latter following as the necessary and inevitable con- 
sequence of the former." — Dr. W. H. Griffith-Thomas in "Methods of 
Bible Study." (Marshall Bros.) 



w 



gn^N the preceding chapter we considered The Crisis and 
Christ, and came to the assurance that there is no 
crisis where there is Christ! Though Israel was at 
a national crisis and because of their default the Gentile 
nations were with them, placed on the waiting list for final 
and full blessing, notwithstanding this very crisis, gave op- 
portunity for the publication of a number on the program 
of God, hitherto unpublished, viz., The union of Jew and 
Gentile in one body— "builded together for an habitation 
through the Spirit." 

"Known unto God are all His works from the beginning 
of the world," but this purpose had its origin "in Him" 
before the foundation of the world. Praise be to the Lord ! 
This is too high for our vision and too deep for comprehen- 
sion but are the certain facts of revelation. 

Before beginning the Exposition of the Book of Ephe- 
sians we shall study its Structure, that we may better un- 
derstand its Subject and Scope. The following outline is a 
suggestive summary of the Book: 



INTRODUCTION. 

1:1,2. 

I. 
THE CALLING OF THE CHURCH. 

1:3—3:21. 



THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK 21 

II. 

THE CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH. 
4—6:9. 

III. 

THE CONFLICT OF THE CHURCH. 

6:10-18. 

CONCLUSION. 

6:19-24. 

The three main Divisions of the Book may be seen at a 
glance, and each of the three Divisions are to be interpreted 
in the light of the sphere revealed in 1 :3, viz. : "the heaven- 
lies." A "Heavenly Calling" demands "Heavenly Conduct" 
and assures "Heavenly Conflict." 

For those who study Bible Books by chapters we fur- 
nish the following KEY WORDS : 

Chapter I Key Word: Redemption (vss. 1-7). 

Chapter II Key Word: Reconciliation (vs. 16). 

Chapter III Key Word: Revelation (vs. 3). 

Chapter IV Key Word: Walk (vs 1). 

Chapter V Key Word: Worship (vss. 19,20). 

Chapter VI Key Word: Warfare (vss. 11, 12). 

Under the subject of Redemption as found in the first 
chapter, the student may make note in margin of Bible as 
follows : 

Persons "us" (vs. 3 ) 

Position "in Christ" (vs. 3) 

Place "the Heavenlies" (vs. 3) 

Purpose "Eternal" (vs. 4) 

Pleasure "His will" (vs. 5) 



22 EPHESIANS 

Praise "Glory of His grace" (vs. 6). 

Power "Mighty power" (vs. 19). 

Point "far above all" (vs. 21). 

In Chapter 2 there are certain interesting notations also, 
namely : 

Dead in sins (vs. 1 ). 

Disobedience to God (vs. 2). 

Deliverance by grace (vss. 4, 5). 

Display in ages to come (vss. 9, 10). 

We behold here, (1) The Old Condition (vss. 1-3); (2) 
The New Position (vss. 5, 6) ; (3) The Future Exhibition 
(vs. 7); (4) The Present Admonition (vss. 8-10). 

Notice, "in times past GENTILES IN THE FLESH" 
(2:12), in contrast with "but now IN CHRIST JESUS" 
(2:13). 

The Second Chapter of Ephesians may be divided after 
this manner: 

The Condition of the Jew and Gentile (vss. 1-10). 

The Position of the Jew and Gentile (vss. 11,22). 

These notations and alliterations are given but for med- 
itation, but will be found true to interpretation. 

Chapter 3, the Key Word of which is Revelation, shows 
us first : 

Paul the l 

Prisoner and the l (3:1-3). 

Purpose ) 

r 

We are introduced to the Messenger and inducted into 
the Mystery and in the following manner this may be im- 
pressed on, and retained by the memory : 



Messenger (3 

Message (3 

Mystery (3 

Measurements (3 



1,7). 
6). 
8,9). 
18). 



THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK 23 

Chapter 4. Phibbs and Trench give unto Chapters 4, 5 
and 6 the following titles : 4. Endowment, 5. Enduement, 6* 
Equipment. The student will do well to note these excel- 
lent words summarizing successfully the contents of this 
division of Ephesians. 

We suggest to the student the occurrence of the word 
"Not." 



Walk "not" 


(vs. 


17) 


Conduct. 


Talk "not" 


(vs. 


22) 


Conversation. 


Sin "not" 


(vs. 


26) 


Circumspection. 


Grieve "not" 


(vs. 


30) 


Provocation. 



Notice the word "Let :" 

Let him that stole steal no more, but rather 

Let him labor (vs. 28). 

Let no corrupt communication proceed from mouth 

(vs. 29). 
Let bitterness and wrath be put away (vs. 31). 
The contents of Chapter 4 may well be summed up as 
follows : 

The W ° rthy of the Heaven1 ^ 

Walk Hope. 

Chapter 5 : Key Word, "Worship." This Chapter has for 
its general subject, Christ and the Church. There are seven 
things He has done and does for the Church : 

loved 

gave Himself for 
sanctifies 
CHRIST cleanses CHURCH 

washes 
presents 
preserves 
Ephesians, chapter 5, verses 25 to 27. 



24 EPHESIANS 

Chapter 6. The Key Word of this chapter is "Warfare." 
In verses 1 to 5, we are still with the "Family" and are re- 
ceiving instruction for children, for fathers, reaching in the 
household to the inclusion of servants. At verse 10 we 
reach the Apostle's "Finally" and at verse 11 we enter the 
"Fight." It is in this chapter we are equipped with "AR- 
MAMENT" and advised of our "ADVERSARY." The 
Place of the Conflict is in the Heavenlies and the People of 
the Conflict ; "We" and "Principalities and Powers" (vs. 
12). 

We behold the Divine Panopoly for Protection. W r e are 
Prepared for the Contest and Assured of the Conquest. 

A splendid summary of this chapter may be thus dis- 
played : 

^, Sphere of the , , Weapons of the 

The I and the _.. * 

Struggle Warfare. 

Thus we have supplied the student with Key Words and 
Contents Phrases which we believe will prove very sug- 
gestive. We do not urge chapter study of any Book of the 
Bible, for we well know that the chapter divisions are not 
inspired of God and are only an arrangement for conven- 
ience. Unhappy are many of the chapter divisions, and they 
who are determined to study the Bible by chapters will 
oftentimes lose sight of the Spirit's design and division of 
the Book. There is spiritual symmetry in the scope of each 
Book of the Bible, as there is in the sum total of all the 
Books into one Book, the Bible ! 




CHAPTER IV 
THE CALLING OF THE CHUBCH 

The Epistle overflows with lofty thoughts and doctrines. He writes 
it from prison at Rome. THINGS WHICH HE SCARELY ANY- 
WHERE ELSE UTTERS, he here expounds. — St. Chrysostom, Pre- 
amble to his Homilies on Epistle to the Ephesians. 

Chapter 1:1,2 

1 Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the 
saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 

2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from 
the Lord Jesus Christ. 

HESE salutatory sentences are indeed full and fer- 
tile! We behold at first the human Author and at 
once the persons Addressed but back and beyond all, 
the Power and the Person,— "the will of God." The Origin 
is in the Divine Will of God, the Organ is the Apostle Paul, 
and the Object, "Saints and faithful in Christ Jesus." 

The message of Ephesians is initially in the will of God, 
inclusively to those in the Son of God, instrumentally by 
Paul the servant of God and ultimately to all the "Saints 
of God." 

Behold the threefold fact of revelation, viz. : Predestina- 
tion, Designation and Destination. 

There is here no circuitous excursion in search of a start- 
ing point, for instantly we are directed to the primary cause 
—"THE WILL OF GOD!" The "will of God" is the 
source and spring of all ! The Book of Genesis opens with 
the words, "In the beginning God created * *," etc., and 
we are introduced to the Person and the Power of God in 
His work, but, in Ephesians, it is the Person and Purpose 
of God in His will. The will of God is the ground and 
"background of all revelation and manifestation. The Sov- 
ereign will of a Sovereign God antedating all time and 
originating all things ! The Gospel leaves no place for hu- 
man willing and human working, because human will and 



26 EPHESIANS 

human work had no part in its purpose or plan. Its origi- 
nation, manifestation and consummation is with God. We 
desire to lay deep and well our foundations now, for later 
in our study of this Epistle we desire to shout and cry 
aloud without intimidation, "by grace are ye saved, through 
faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift OF GOD." 
Ephesians fixes the point where all human boasting is ex- 
cluded—it is— "the will of God." 

The salvation we preach begins in God, is continued by 
God and comes to its consummation in God. 

If hereinafter we are to behold the work of Christ, it is 
by the will of God. 

If it be the walk of the Saints it is by the will of God. 
Outside the will of God there is no one or no thing — such 
is the message of Ephesians. 

The "will of God" will occur again and again in Ephe- 
sians. ("His will" [1:5,9,11, etc.]) While in verse 1 the 
Apostle's call is by the will of God, it is but the introduc- 
tion of "His will" which will be ever confronting and com- 
forting us. In fact when we read Ephesians we think often 
of the Apostle's words to the Corinthians — "And all things 
are of God" (II Cor. 5:18). Surely in Ephesians, "all 
things are of God." Notice "His will" (1:3), "His grace," 
(vs. 6), "His good pleasure" (vs. 9), "His glory" (vs. 14), 
"His calling" (vs. 18), "His inheritance" (vs. 18), "His 
power" (vs. 19), "His mighty power" (vs. 19), "His own 
right hand" (vs. 20), "His feet" (vs. 22), "His Body" (vs. 
23). 

How many things are "His" and all of these things are 
because of "His will." 

The above are the things which are "His" in chapter 1. 
The student may follow further at leisure. 

At verse 2 we face a word to be fully and freely consid- 
ered in the body of the Epistle, viz. : "grace." Stier re- 
marks that in the two expressions in verse 2, "grace" and 
"peace," we have trace of the two divisions of the Epistle — 



THE CALLING OF THE CHURCH 27 

"God's grace towards us and our faith towards Him." 
— Alford. 

The initiative and the issue are both here — "grace" from 
God — "peace" for us. Study here something of the Divine 
distance bridged by God. "Grace" and "peace" from God 
and the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ to YOU. Can 
anything but God's grace reach such an infinite distance 
and bring "peace" to such as "YOU"? Who is sufficient 
and who is required to span such a gulf to bring such a 
peace? "The Lord Jesus Christ." 

Where is the measuring line to mark off the distance 
between the Father and the Son and the sinner? Between 
God and the sinner is the Cross ! Tell the distance if you 
can. By the expiation of the Cross is the impartation of 
peace. 

Surely Morgan has said well, 

"Grace is the river flowing from the heart of God. Peace is the 
resulting consciousness of the filling of the heart of the trusting soul. 
The river and the peace alike come from the Lord Jesus Christ." 

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who 
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in 
Christ: 

4 According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation 
of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him 
in love: 

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by 
Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. 

6 To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made 
us accepted in the Beloved: 

7 In whom we have redemption through His Blood, the forgive- 
ness of sins, according to the riches of His grace; 

8 Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and pru- 
dence; 

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according 
to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself: 

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might 
gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heav- 
en, and which are on earth; even in Him: 

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being pre- 
destinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things 
after the counsel of His own will: 

12 That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted 
in Christ. 

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of 
Truth, the Gospel of your salvation: in whom also, after that ye 
believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, 



28 EPHESIAXS 

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption 
of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory. 

We are now ready for the parsing of the most wonder- 
ful sentence in the world of words and speech. Beginning 
at verse 3 and continuing to the close of verse 14 is one 
sentence. 

We recently picked up a school-girl's note-book marked 
"Language," and read this statement — "Never use over 
thirty words in one sentence." Thirty words seem to be 
about as many as man can correlate into one sentence and 
display any sense. Beyond thirty words, according to the 
theory of the educators, man is not intelligible. In an at- 
tempt to string more than thirty words together it has been 
proven that man fails to clearly express himself, or impress 
others. If use is made of more than thirty words, punctua- 
tion is called into service, and punctuation often introduces 
complication. When man's tongue continues to carry con- 
versation beyond his brain's conception he becomes a 
glibbering fool ! This may be true of human writings, but 
not of the Divine oracles. Man reasons but God reveals 
and indeed vast is the difference between human reason and 
Divine revelation. 

Thirty words the scope of a human sentence, but in this 
Sentence of Divine utterance there are TWO HUNDRED 
AND SIXTY-FOUR WORDS ! The greatest single sen- 
tence known in all the literature of the world ! The Logos 
of God ! The ultimate and the utmost in scope and scale ! 
A sentence which rises from argument to doxology and in 
which logic swells into lyrics ! 

A sentence which originates in the Blessed God (vs. 3) 
and terminates in, to the "praise of His glory" (vs. 14). 

Wonderful sentence of Ephesians ! And much like the 
Book itself, scaling heights and spanning breadths un- 
known ! John Eadie calls this sentence a "Magnificent 
Anthem." 

The study of it will reveal great grammatical construc- 
tion. One truth will, in this sentence give birth to another, 



THE CALLING OF THE CHURCH 29 

all bound together in "philosophical precision" and by the 
laws of powerful association. 

This sentence is as "a wheel within a wheel ;" complete 
yet always coming to completion. The sentence is built 
upon a series of participles, each participle adding another 
link to the chain, until, as it were, all is forged. 

The scope of the sentence is from one eternity to an- 
other! It reaches from before the foundation of the world 
to the consummation of the ages. There is the elaboration 
of every great truth of revelation in this one sentence. 

What depth of revelation awaits our meditation ! 

"Following closely upon the introductory benediction, and con- 
nected with it, the subject of the Church's heavenly calling is en- 
tered upon. The first three chapters of this Epistle may thus be 
named: Predestination, or the Church's Origin; Edification, or the 
Church's Construction; Vocation, or the Church's Function." — G. 
Campbell Morgan, at Mundsley, 1909. 

L THE CALLING OF THE CHURCH 
Chapters 1 :3—3 :21 

Parsing the Sentence 

At the opening of the first main division of the Book of 
Ephesians (The Calling of the Church [1:3—3:21]), is the 
beginning of the most wonderful of all sentences and to 
which we referred to previously. A sentence which, in the 
Greek Testament, extends from verse 3, to and including 
verse 14 of the first chapter, and contains Two Hundred 
and Sixty-four Words ! 

A sentence which we declare to be a summary of every 
great truth of revelation. (We do not say Prophecy, but 
Revelation, for there are subjects in the New Testament of 
which Old Testament prophets knew nothing.) 

We are now ready for the parsing of this wonderful 
sentence in which we are to behold the Calling of the 
Church and the Purpose, Power and Perfection of God in 



30 EPHESIANS 

the same. This subject is too great for us, unto God we 
look, this is His Book ! 

Verses 3 and 4. 

What Divine difference and distinction there is between 
the Calling of Israel and the Church. Nowhere is it seen in 
such sharp contrast as in these two verses. The Character 
of the Calling of the Church is such as to require a careful 
consideration on the part of the student; indeed, it is nec- 
essary to the understanding of this Book which is the 
"Alps of the New Testament," and in which, as Chrysostom 
says, "Things which the Apostle scarcely anywhere else ut- 
ters, he here expounds." Perhaps these striking facts may 
be emphasized in the following manner : 

I. The Source of the Calling "God" (vs. 3). 

II. The Subject of the Calling "Us" (vs. 3). 

III. The Scope of the Calling "Spiritual blessings" (vs. 3). 

IV. The Sum of the Calling "All" (vs. 3). 

V. The Sphere of the Calling "Heavenly places" .. (vs. 3). 

VI. The Standing of the Called "In Christ" (vs. 3). 

We shall follow, in order, each of the above. 
I. THE SOURCE OF THE CALLING— "GOD." 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ." God is here called "blessed." The adjective in 
the doxology is placed before the substantive because it is 
used as a predicate and this formula occurs at least thirty 
times in the Old Testament. The word "blessed" occurs 
eight times in the New Testament (Mark 14:61; Luke 1: 



68; Rom. 1 :25 ; 9:5; II Cor. 1:3; ll:31;Eph. 1:3; I Peter 1: 
3). It is said that an examination of these passages will re-, 
veal that the word "blessed" is always used of God and 
never of man (Morgan). It is the "God and Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ," while in the Old Testament, the Synop- 
tic Gospels and the Acts, (first half particularly) it is the 
"God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" or "the God of our 
fathers." 



THE CALLING OF THE CHUECH 31 

A reference to the concordance will reveal the oft oc- 
currence of these titles in both Testaments. They are titles 
used to signify the Covenant relationship of God to Israel. 
The absence of these titles in the later Epistles of Paul is 
not without signification. 

Peter in his first Post-Pentecostal address uses the doub- 
le title and says, "The God of Abraham and of Isaac and 
Jacob, the God of our fathers" (Acts 3:13). In a Book 
where there is not a superfluous word, and in a Book 
which is not a Book of synonyms, there is a difference be- 
tween the "God of our fathers" and the "God and Father 
of our Lord Jesus Christ." 

We must remember that the names and titles of God the 
Father and the Son, are personal, official and dispensation- 
al. They who overlook these titles will never know much 
truth. If the reference is to the Scriptures, then the ques- 
tion, "What's in a name?" means much. "The God and Fa- 
ther of our Lord Jesus Christ." What a revelation in this 
relation. This is the highest of titles — the God and Father 
of our Lord Jesus Christ ! Notice the threefold fullness, 
Lord — Jesus — Christ. To be the God and Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ is God's highest honor and full revela- 
tion of Himself. It is not here the Covenant relation He 
bears to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but that filial relation 
as the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the 
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed 
"us." As the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob He enters 
into Covenant with Israel for their national perpetuity and 
blessing and through them, blessing for the Gentile nations 
of the earth, but He is the God and Father of "OUR" Lord 
Jesus Christ, and this establishes our calling and blessing 
at its source ! 

Said an old Scotch saint, when asked if she did not pre- 
sume upon God when she insisted the assurance of her sal- 
vation, "My salvation was an eternal arrangement between 
God the Father and His Son and they who counselled it 
and commenced it will continue and conclude it." Christ 



32 EPHESIANS 

was the oracle of God before there was order or oath. He 
who afterward swore in an oath unto Abraham, is He who* 
said, "before Abraham was I AM." 

II. THE SUBJECT OF THE CALLING— "US." 

"He hath blessed 'us'." It is not always easy to distin- 
guish in Ephesians between the "we," the "ye," the "us" 
and the "ours." We believe these little words mean much, 
to the interpretation of the Book. 

The "us," we are confident, is used by the Spirit of God 
in reference to the Jew and Gentile as united in one Body 
in Christ and which is the subject of the Ephesian letter. 
By the "us", the "we", and the "ye" the Jew, the Gentile 
and the Church of God are distinguished and this distinc- 
tion is of primary importance to the study of Ephesians or 
any other portion of Scripture. What God has separated 
let no man join together. Surely our beloved Dr. Scofield 
has faithfully shown in his little book, "Rightly Dividing 
the Word," the confusion introduced when this threefold 
division of the Scriptures is not observed. 

The "us" is a reference to both Jew and Gentile who, in* 
Christ Jesus, are not now reckoned as either, for in the 
Church there is neither Jew nor Gentile, male or female,, 
bond or free. They are now both brought together in a place,, 
where "neither circumcision availeth anything or uncir- 
cumcision, but a new creation." Many to whom we now 
write are included in this "us," if so be they are in Christ. 

We desire to here include a valuable note from the pen 
of Dr. W. H. Griffith Thomas in his new and remarkable- 
book, "The Holy Spirit of God" (Longmans). Says Dr. 
Thomas : 

"It should not be forgotten that Ephesians is the next place in the 
New Testament, after Matthew, where the Church universal, as ; 
distinct from the Church local, is treated." (Page 271.) 

The idea of all believers being one in Christ is evident from the- 
first, but it is only in the Epistle TO THE EPHESIANS that we 
find it receiving full expression and adequate treatment. (Page 172.) 

The Epistle to the Romans deals mainly and primarily with the 
relation of the individual to God in Christ. The Epistle to the- 



THE CALLING OF THE CHUECH 33 

Ephesians, on the other hand, starts from the corporate side of 
Christianity, and views the individual as one of the Body. (Pages 
172-3.) 

Dr. Griffith Thomas sees where many stumble, and as 
the above statements receive further treatment by him, 
we will quote yet more in future studies. 

III. THE SCOPE OF THE CALLING— "SPIRITUAL 
BLESSINGS." 

"Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings." And 
here again the distinction between the Calling of the 
Church is in conclusive contrast with the Calling of Israel 
and the Gentiles. The scope of the Church's blessing is 
"Spiritual," while that of Israel was temporal and material. 
Such blessings as the temporal and material were of "fre- 
quent promise in Mosaic and Messianic Scriptures — the 
dew of heaven, the fatness of the earth, abundance of corn, 
wine and oil, peace, longevity and a flourishing household." 
— Eadie. 

Perhaps in no other place is the character of Israel's 
blessings so succinctly summarized as in Deuteronomy 32: 
13,14: 

"He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might 
eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out 
of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; butter of kine, and milk 
of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the bread of Bashan, and 
goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the 
pure blood of the grape." 

But in Ephesians temporal blessings have taken the sub- 
ordinate place. In Ephesians we look not at things which 
are seen, they are temporal juid tangible, but at the eter- 
nal things which are held up and out for the discernment 
of the eye of faith. 

When the sun rises, the stars that sparkled during the 
night are eclipsed by the flood of superior brilliance, and 
disappear, but still keep their places ; so here in Ephesians, 
the earthly blessings of Israel are dimmed and discounted 



34 EPHESIANS 

by those of a dispensation now present with its new pur- 
pose for a new people, a new place, in a new position ! 

Eadie and Motile both agree that the New Testament 
warrants us in saying that these blessings are termed "Spir- 
itual" from their connection with the Holy Ghost. The 
study of the Spirit in Ephesians, will add luster to this 
statement. 

IV. THE SUM OF THE CALLING— "ALL * * BLESS- 
INGS." 

Here blessing in freeness comes to fullness and finality. 
It is the all-including comprehensive word "all" which is 
used often by Paul in his prison letters and especially in 
Colossians. 

"ALL!" The circle is complete and nothing is wanted! 
No conditioned blessings but all conferred blessings. Not, 
as Israel's restricted and bounded blessings depending 
upon their faithfulness, but all the blessings promised are 
secured by the faithfulness of One, in whom we have all 
things and of whom are all things. 

V. THE SPHERE OF THE CALLING— "HEAVENLY 
PLACES." 

Blessed with all spiritual blessings in "heavenly places." 

Having seen the totality of blessings we now come to the 
locality of the blessing. "Heavenly places" in contrast with 
earthly places. God's purpose for the earth is in Israel, but 
His purpose for the "heavenlies" is to be realized in and 
through the Church. 

"In heavenly places" is literally, "in the heavenlies," an 
adjective without a noun. The name is rightly supplied in 
the A. V. Says Moule, "The form of the adjective suggests 
not only a heavenly origin, btat a heavenly locality." With 
this, virtually, the best scholars of all ages agree. This is 
as much a locality as God gave Israel, except that it is as 
boundless as theirs was bounded. "Heavenlies" is not a 



THE CALLING OF THE CHURCH 35 

figure of speech, but a place in space ; not an adaptation of 
a spiritual principle, but a habitation for a spiritual people. 
The phrase occurs four other times in this Epistle (1:20; 
2:6; 3:10; 6:13), and the reference is in each instance to a 
locality. We not only have our wealth in the heavenlies 
but subsequent study will reveal that our witness and war- 
fare is confined to the same sphere. 

The sphere of our calling is in the heavenlies. The pos- 
session God gave Israel was marked out and measured off. 
Said God to Abraham, "Unto thy seed have I given this 
land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river 
Euphrates" (Gen. 15:18). 

The calling of Israel was related to a land the Lord gave 
unto them. The very locality itself was chosen for the 
ministry God had laid upon Israel. "When the Most High 
divided the nations their inheritance, when He separated 
the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people accord- 
ing to the number of the children of Israel/' Behold the 
Divine logic of the locality. 

When Israel remained faithful and in the land, they ex- 
ercised their Divinely given vocation. God's choice and call- 
ing of the Church to the heavenlies is to exercise a ministry 
in that locality and the Church is of little or no use in any 
other place. This will come under our consideration at 
other times. 

VI. THE STANDING OF THE CALLED — "IN 
CHRIST." 

What position is this? A standing in the land? No. A 
standing before the nations ? No. A standing in the right- 
eousness of the law? No. A standing in the "Fathers" 
after the flesh? No. A standing in circumcision, cove- 
nants or carnal commandments? No — but a standing in 
Christ! The calling is to the heavenlies and the standing 
is in Him who is now rejected from the earth and retained 
in the heavens. The Church is as much rejected and sep- 



36 EPHESIANS 

arated from the earth as is Christ the Head. The Church 
as "in Christ" is likewise "with Christ." It is a very fool- 
ish thing for the Church to attempt to establish herself on 
the earth when she is called with Christ in the heavenlies. 
This position presupposes the work of the cross when we 
died with Christ; the power of the resurrection when we 
were raised with Christ; and these are the subject of Ro- 
mans, but Ephesians continues the Gospel and adds : "He 
hath raised us up together and made us sit together with 
Christ in heavenly places." This is our position who were 
once Jews and Gentiles but now one in Christ Jesus. 

We have thus briefly outlined the Divine difference and 
distinction in the calling of the Church and the calling of 
Israel. These are but suggestions which will be carried to 
a further and fuller consideration in succeeding studies. 
We have sought to discover the Purpose of Our Calling, 
now we shall next, consider the Priority of Our Calling 
(vs. 4). 

O God, Thy Divine blessings and benefactions are be- 
yond and above our understanding! We are dependent up- 
on Thy revelation for all information. Thy ways are past 
our finding out, but not past Thy revealing! Amen. 



CHAPTER V 
THE PRIOKITY OF THE CALLING 

"Before the foundation of the world." That expression shows we 
have nothing to do with this world — we only pass through it. The 
earthly people are chosen from the foundation of the world (Rev. 
13:8; Matt. 25:34) the heavenly people before the world began. God 
thought of us before He thought of Israel, and yet we hear of Israel 
first." — William Lincoln in "Ephesians." 

*sO^N the parsing of this wonderful sentence (1 :3-14) we 
have discovered something of the Purpose of God's 
£ Calling of the Church. We now seek to better under- 
stand the "Priority of the Calling. ,, In verse 3 (chap. 1 ) we 
read : "According as He hath chosen us in Him before the 
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and with- 
out blame before Him in love." 

The word "according ,, which occurs here is used fre- 
quently throughout the Epistle. Sixteen times the Greek 
word is used with but slight variation in one instance and 
that in the word as used here. The word "according" oc- 
curs five times in this wonderful sentence, viz. : 1 :4, 5, 7, 9, 
11. In this instance the word is the adverb "kathos" and 
defines the connection of this verse with the preceding. 

The word "according" as used in this Epistle indicates 
Comparison and Consequence. It is a "resultant" word. An 
established cause results in consequence. As used in Ephe- 
sians and especially in this sentence it is "pivotal" and con- 
necting. The word as used in this sentence is the very key 
to its contents, for the word "according" explains what has 
gone before and expands that which comes after. What 
is enfolded, is by this word unfolded and what is deter- 
mined, is by this word developed. It is a word used in the 
process of the evolution of revelation ! 

The word as used in this sentence (3 :14) is its very key, 
for it explains that which immediately precedes it, and ex- 
pands the same in what immediately follows. It is the key 



38 EPHESIANS 

to the construction of the sentence and the key to its in- 
struction. This sentence unfolds its meaning and moves 
to its climax at the close of verse 14, all by the means of 
this word "according." 

Each use of the word "according" demands another, un- 
til all is accomplished and all things have reached their 
goal — "the praise of His Glory" (vs. 14). 

Not without great significance are the words of Eadie in 
referring to this sentence : 

"Each suggesting the other by a law of powerful association * * 
one truth instinctively gives birth to the other." 

For example, in verse 3 we are introduced to the sphere 
to which the Church is called, namely, "heavenly places" 
or a supermundane sphere. Now the place of the calling 
demands the priority of the calling. If the place to which 
the Church is called is supermundane, is it not to be ex- 
pected that the time of the calling was premundane or "be- 
fore the foundation of the world"? The "according" here 
reveals the cause and consequence in perfect concord. It 
shows the harmony of the purpose, the place, and the po- 
sition. 

The calling of Israel was for an earthly ministry and Is- 
rael was chosen "from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 
25 :34), but the calling of the Church is unto the "heaven- 
lies" and for a ministry in that sphere, therefore choice is 
made, "before the foundation of the world." 

The words "from" and "before" differ vastly in meaning. 
If this distinction were unnoticed in common communica- 
tion and conversation, to what extent would confusion pre- 
vail? Will less confusion be introduced in the Scriptures 
if these words are not thus distinguished? Certainly a 
thing done "before the foundation of the world" is not 
identical with a thing done "from the foundation of the 
world." 

The Church was chosen in Him before the foundation of 
the world and this premundane calling presupposes a super- 



THE PRIORITY OF THE CALLING 39 

mundane ministry. In Matthew's Gospel we learn of wis- 
dom kept secret "from" the foundation of the world (Matt. 
13:25), but here is purpose and predestination prior 
to that. "Before the foundation of the world" occurs three 
times in the New Testament; besides its use in this verse 
(4), it occurs in John 17:24 and First Peter 1:20. Three 
things are declared to have obtained before the foundation 
of the world : 

I. The Love of the Father for the Son (John 17:24). 
II. The Choice of the Church in Him (Eph. 1 :4). 

III. The Foreordination of Redemption by the Blood of the 

Lamb (I Peter 1 :19, 20). 

These three things lie back beyond all historical mani- 
festation and are the subject of subsequent revelation. 

O, beloved believer in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile 
after the flesh now one in Christ Jesus, could there be a 
subject so transcendingly great and gracious, surprising 
and startling as that we were chosen in Christ before the 
"foundation of the world" and simultaneously with the dis- 
play of The Filial Love of the Father for the Son and the 
Foundation of Redemption in the Foreordination of the 
Sacrifice? 

Jesus looked unto the Father and said, "Father, Thou 
lovest Me before the foundation of the world." So may 
we who are "in Christ" look unto the God and Father of 
our Lord Jesus Christ and say, "Father, Thou lovest us, 
and made choice of us, before the foundation of the world." 
Redemption was accomplished in God's sight, "before the 
foundation of the world" and we were chosen contempor- 
aneously with the foreordination of the Sacrifice! "Such 
thoughts are too wonderful for me !" You say, something 
to think about? Yea, rather something to cause thanks 
and trust, wonder and worship! 

This phrase itself declares that this election and selec- 
tion is no act of time, for time dates from the creation, 



40 EPHESIANS 

though some would have us believe the word "foundation" 
means "irruption." This, however, has not been success- 
fully established or substantiated. 

"From the foundation of the world," says Moule, means 
apparently since the beginning of human time. But with 
the word "before," as here, the context always suggests 
the highest reference; "before any created being began." 

The generic idea is therefore what Olshausen calls "Zeit- 
losigkeit," timelessness, implying, of course, absolute eter- 
nity. 

Believers need not be in ignorance as to their relation- 
ship to this present world, for certainly a people chosen 
before the foundation of the world and to a future ministry 
in the "heavenlies" (Eph. 3:10), in which place they are 
now positionally viewed in Christ, are not, in the harmony 
and nature of things, to expect a portion, position and place 
in this world. There is a suggestive simplicity in the 
words of Wm. Lincoln: "This world is something like a 
hotel, where people put up for a little time. We are going 
home." 

As the time of Israel's calling, secures unto them the 
place of their calling — the earth ; so the timelessness of the 
calling of the Church marks out the earthlessness of its 
ministry and the sphere of its ministration. While the 
things here suggested are crowding upon us for considera- 
tion, we must withhold until chapter 3 and verse 10 is 
reached. 

Man is never found in a fossil state or among pre- 
historic remains. We are well aware that Divine revela- 
tion has anticipated and antedated human science. Science 
is what man thinks ; Revelation is what God knows. Science 
is the result of man's knowledge; while Revelation is the 
publishing of God's foreknowledge. Science is discovery 
and recovery on the part of man, but Revelation begins at 
the source and foretells the succession of things. Genesis 



THE PRIORITY OF THE CALLING 41 

1 :1 is the original creation and Genesis 1:3 is the beginning 
of recreation. Between these there is a dateless parenthesis. 
Whatever of fossil remains may be discovered or uncov- 
ered, regardless of the evidence of antiquity the same may 
bear, they cannot antedate and out-date the provision made 
in the Holy Scriptures. There is no such thing in the 
material universe as a pre-historic specimen. This term is 
but an accommodation for man's limitation. 

There is in existence evidence of vegetable and animal 
life which existed prior to the cosmic order of the world 
that "now is," and antedating the occupation of this earth 
by Adam's race, which was but a few thousand years ago, 
but of pre-historic times the Bible does not admit. There 
is nothing to antedate the "beginning," when God created 
the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1). 

Geology cannot get back of Genesis, and certainly astron- 
omy is not dependent on Adam or his race. Events pre- 
ceding the world that now is, and the advent of Adam and 
his race, are not omitted from history, for the Divine his- 
torian has in Genesis 1 :1 and 2 given record of the same. 
While the record is brief, it is complete. In subsequent 
Scriptures it is developed somewhat, but these things do 
not constitute the subject matter of the Bible, which is 
mainly concerned with the unfolding of Salvation's pur- 
pose and plan with man. Again we say, there is no history 
of which the Bible does not take cognizance. 

Now and then a scare headline in a daily paper an- 
nounces the discovery of a "pre-historic man." Let there be 
no cause for alarm, for man is never found in a fossil state. 
Man is historic, not pre-historic. The creation of man is 
■contemporaneous with the recreation and reordering of the 
original creation which had undergone a "cataclysmic 
change as the result of Divine judgment." The record 
of this reordering and recreation begins with verse 3 of 
Genesis 1. 



42 EPHESIANS 

Dr. Scofield, in the Scofield Bible, has simplified the mat- 
ter after this manner : 

The Original Creation 

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (vs. 1). 

The Earth Made Waste and Empty by Judgment (vs. 2) 
Jeremiah 4:23-26 

"And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was 
upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the 
face of the waters." 

The New Beginning — the First Day; — Light Diffused 
Verse 3, etc., etc. 

But Ephesians reveals a Pre-historic Person, a Pre-his- 
toric Purpose with a Pre-historic Plan involving a Pre-his- 
toric Choice. 

We were "chosen in Him before the foundation of the 
world." Revealed history began with the "foundation of 
the world" (Gen. 1:1). We were chosen in Him prior to 
this time. Spiritually speaking, we, members of the Body 
of Christ, are pre-historic specimens of His grace and 
goodness, purpose and plan. The priority of our choice 
and calling leaves no cohering point for human calcula- 
tion and is beyond explanation other than this, that it is 
"according to the good pleasure of His will. 

What Thou hast done and why, we know not now, O 
God, but we shall know hereafter. We dare not, and do 
not ask "why" or "wherefore?" We only ask that the eyes 
of our understanding may be opened, that we may under- 
stand the "hope of His calling." Amen. 



CHAPTER VI 

THE PREDESTINED PURPOSE 
OF THE CALLING 

"Beware of the miserable hendiadys, 'His glorious grace,' by which 
all the richness and depth of meaning are lost. The end, God's end, 
in our predestination to adoption is that the glory — glorious nature, 
brightness and majesty, and kindliness and beauty, — of His grace 
might be an object of men and angels' praise; both as it is in Him, 
infinite and ineffable and infinite, — and exemplified in US, its ob- 
jects." — Alford. 



jpi^/AVING considered the Priority of the Calling, we 
must now proceed to the conside 
destined Purpose of the Calling. 



I (% \ must now proceed to the consideration of The Pre- 



"Chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, that we 
SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLAME before Him in love: 
having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus 
Christ to Himself, ACCORDING TO THE GOOD PLEASURE OF 
HIS WILL, to the praise of the GLORY OF HIS GRACE" (Eph. 
1:4-6). 

The Predestined Purpose of the Calling may be readily 
seen by the emphasized portions of the above verses. 
Three things — notice : 

I. "That we should be holy and without blame before 
Him in love." 

II. "According to the good pleasure of His will." 

III. "To the praise of the glory of His grace." 

With spiritual illumination and joyful anticipation let us 
consider these things. 

The result of this calling of the believer is that "we 
should be holy and without blame before Him in love." 
That we should be holy? What manner of language is 
this, — we holy? We, who were born in sin and conceived 
in iniquity, holy? Yes, it is as actual as it is astonishing. 
Sometimes when good news overtakes and overwhelms us 



44 EPHESIANS 

we say, "Well, I can hardly believe my own ears." But 
here we are not asked to believe any of our senses, but to 
believe God's Word! "That we should be holy and with- 
out blame before Him in love," is what it says. 

There are two things here mentioned, viz. : — our state 
and our standing. In state we are "holy," our standing is 
"before Him." But think, we who were once hopeless are 
now "holy." "Holy and without blame." With slight varia- 
tion the two adjectives express the same idea. The first 
concerns principle and the second practice. A holy nature 
leads to a stainless life. It is the uniform teaching of the 
Apostle that holiness is the end and object of God's calling 
and election, for what could a holy God bestow in His ben- 
efits and beneficence other than holiness? Without holi- 
ness we could never be to the "praise of His glory." God's 
purpose in our calling and predestination is that we should 
be holy. Of course we could not enjoy a standing "before 
Him" if we were not in state holy and without blame, so 
how has all this come about? The answer is that our holi- 
ness is not inherent, but "in Him." We cannot go beyond 
what has been said before, — "blessed with all spiritual 
blessings * * in Christ." All that we are, we are in Christ. 

Moule has here spoken in wisdom : 

"The elect are viewed as HOLY and SPOTLESS because identi- 
fied, for purposes of acceptance, with their absolutely Holy Head 
and Representative 'in whom' they stand." 

Our state is a result of "Christ in us," and our standing 
the result of our being "in Christ." As at the incarna- 
tion, God was in Christ and stood before us, so we are in 
Christ in His exaltation, and stand before God. God was 
manifest before us "in Christ" and we are manifest before 
Him in "Christ." We see God in Christ and God sees us 
in Christ. Christ is all there is of God before us, and Christ 
is all there is of us before God. We are accepted in the 
Beloved, we are before Him in Christ. 

We see the Father in the Son and the Father sees us in 
the Son. We can only know and see each other in the Son. 



THE PREDESTINED PURPOSE OF THE CALLING 45 

If we see the Father we look to Christ, if the Father sees 
us He looks to Christ. As we will never see God apart 
from Christ, so God will never see us apart from Christ. 
O Christ, Thou art all to God and Thou art all to me ! Cer- 
tainly fraternal relation with Christ is filial relation to 
God! It is "in Christ" we are holy and without blame be- 
fore Him in love. Before Him! We, once shut out — the 
door closed and guarded by "flaming sword which turned 
every way." 

But in the process of the unfolding program of redemp- 
tion the sword awoke against a man, saith Jehovah, "that 
is My fellow" (Zech. 13:7). It was the God-man. The 
Shepherd was smitten ! The sword went to His heart to 
the hilt and by it the blood was shed which opened the 
way to God. Not to return to the presence of God in Adam, 
but to the presence of God in Christ. 

We are holy and without blame before Him, in love, "In 
Christ," "in love"! Every demand of God's holiness for 
justice and judgment has been met in Christ's death and 
there is nothing for God to do but to lavish upon us the 
love the death of Christ let loose ! 

Not that God did not love us before Christ died, for 
Christ died because God loved us, but now that Christ has 
died, love finds its great medium of manifestation. 

This brings us to the second statement. 

II. "According to the good pleasure of His wilL" 

As we have seen the result to the believer, this is the 
reason with God. "His will" is the cause and the conse- 
quence. That we, believers, have the position, place and 
privilege of a child is because the Father may thus bestow 
and bless as a result of Christ's redeeming work. Back of 
the will of God there is not a word. His will is the secret 
and the sequence of it all. "For," says the Apostle, "of 
Him, (Origin) and through Him, (Organ) and unto Him, 
(Object) are all things" (Rom. 11:36). 



46 EPHESIANS 

There is but one standard of understanding and that is, 
— "according to the good pleasure of His will." There is 
but one measurement of such mercy and that is "according 
to the good pleasure of His will." When He predestinated 
us unto the "adoption of children," "through Jesus Christ" 
to "Himself," it was all "according to the good pleasure of 
His will." The words "good pleasure" mean, "deliberate 
beneficent resolve. — Moule. 

He loved us and He adopts us for He wills it. For all 
this He has no assignable reason but "His will." 

We would longer linger here where there is such love, 
but we must pass, for let it be remembered in the study of 
Ephesians, we are moving from "faith to faith" and from 
"glory to glory." 

The third fact concerning His Purpose in Our Predesti- 
nation is in that it is "to the praise of the glory of His 
grace." 

"No truth," says Spurgeon, "is more plainly taught in God's 
Word than this; that the salvation of the sinner is entirely owing to 
the grace of God. Grace among the attributes is the Chrysostom, 
it has a golden mouth; it is Barnabas, it is full of consolation; it is 
Boanerges, for it thunders against self -righteousness. It is man's 
star of hope, the well-spring of His eternal life, and seed of future 
bliss." 

With a whole heart we may all with Spurgeon say, 
"Amen." But all definitions of grace fail. Grace beggars 
definitions. We may say "grace is the unmerited favor 
of God bestowed upon those who justly merited the judg- 
ment of God," but this too is not sufficient. There is only 
one satisfactory definition for "grace" and that is in Ephe- 
sians : "The riches of His grace in kindness toward us 
through Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:7). 

Grace in its proximate end is man's salvation. Says the 
Apostle, "The grace of God that bringeth salvation" 
(Titus 2:11). The primary truth is salvation by grace of- 
fered to man, but the ultimate is God's own glory and the 
manifestation of His moral excellence. — Eadie. The glory 
of grace is that merit does not help it nor demerit hinder 



THE PREDESTINED PURPOSE OF THE CALLING 47 

it. It is no more hindered by sin than it is conditional 
upon works. 

God is essentially and personally glorious. If there 
were no eyes to behold Him, no lips to praise Him, no 
creatures to obey Him, He would be infinitely glorious in 
Himself. He is the self-sufficient God and His reason for 
displaying and exhibiting His glory is for the benefit and 
blessing to His creatures. 

Every attribute of God has its own glory, but when God 
glorifies His grace, He glorifies His whole character! 

Omnipotence and goodness, justice and wisdom, infini- 
tude and eternity, are essential attributes and have al- 
ways been known and manifested. They did not need 
redemption to reveal them. Grace comes to its revelation 
in redemption. It is on the dark background of man's sin 
that grace comes to its manifold revelation. 

One must concur with John Eadie : "Grace with its char- 
acteristic glory, is a property in God's nature which never 
could have been displayed but for the introduction of sin, 
and God's design to save sinners." (Ephesians, page 33.) 

We can now begin to understand somewhat of the words 
— "to the praise of the glory of His grace." The greatness 
of grace is in that it displays every attribute of God. This 
thing which does the most for man does the most for God. 
When God glorifies His grace He glorifies His whole 
character. If you want to behold justice at its greatest, 
look at the grace of God. If you want to see God's wis- 
dom at its highest, look at the grace of God. If you want 
to see God's goodness in its ultimate, look at the grace of 
God. If you want to see God's mercy in supremest mani- 
festation, then look to the grace of God. Grace exhibits in 
peculiar and particular splendor every attribute of God. 
Grace in redeeming man from his fallen nature reveals God 
in His glorious nature ! The great God is full orbed in His 
grace! Grace is the platform upon which all the perfections 
of God are exhibited ! We know God's omnipotence, skill, 
power and wisdom in the light of His grace. They are each 



48 EPHESIANS 

bright enough in themselves, but says Spurgeon, "They 
seem doubly bright in the brilliance of grace." 

Think of it ! God in saving man shows Himself ! The 
cross was a great place of meeting. The cross is the one 
great "peace parliament" of the ages. It was at the cross 
the jarred attributes of God met together in harmony. 
Says the Psalmist, "Mercy and truth are met together; 
righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Ps. 85 : 
10). They could "meet together" and "kiss each other" 
at no other place but the cross of Christ. They came to a 
great display here for the cross was not only a place of 
meeting but a place of manifestation. Behold to what 
length the reconciling work of the cross extends ! The cross 
establishes truth and extends mercy ; it provides righteous- 
ness and proclaims peace. Hallelujah, what a hill is Gol- 
gotha ! It is here the quarrelling quartet is satisfied and 
reconciled. Mercy is glad that truth and justice is estab- 
lished and truth rejoices that mercy is manifested. Right- 
eousness is exalted and exults that peace is preached and 
peace finds its tongue in righteousness revealed. Neither 
could get their demands or their deserts apart from the 
death of Christ. 

And this is all "to the praise of the GLORY OF HIS 
GRACE." When redemption is realized, then God will be 
glorified and man satisfied. Amen. 



CHAPTER VII 

PREDESTINATION— REVELATION- 
DISPENSATION 

"He took us into favor in the Beloved One. As if God said, That 
the Beloved One is My Son, I must have them for sons, too. I must 
get them out of the mire to be before Me. A chain of things all 
in the heart of God, when the creature knew nothing about it." — 
William Lincoln. 

*7^REDESTlNATION— "Having predestinated us un- 
|j|yto," etc., etc. (vs. 5). 

>J— !r Revelation — "Having made known unto us the 
mystery of His will," etc., etc. (vs. 9). 

Dispensation — "That in the dispensation of the fulness 
of times," etc., etc. (vs. 10). 

Our God is the God of a goal. Man ignorantly, foolishly 
and flippantly sings, "I don't know where I'm going, but 
I'm on my way." With God there is no flippancy — majes- 
ty only. Known unto God are all His ways. This He 
knows from the beginning. He moves forward to a pur- 
posed point and a glorious goal. Predestination is but the 
vehicle of God's predetermination. God does because He 
is doing. Predestination implies also predesignation. There 
will be a termination of all God's predetermination. Man 
often fails to finish what he begins, but God never be- 
gins what He does not finish. This is to His glory and to 
ours also, for is it not written : "that He which hath begun 
a good work in you will perform it unto the day of 
Christ" (Phil. 1:6)? 

In verse 5 we have the Believer's Predestination. This is 
the result of the "good pleasure of His will." 

In verse 6 the Believer's Acceptation, for he is "accepted 
in the Beloved." 



50 EPHESIANS 

These are of the Godward side. But there is a "grace" 
side and in verse 7 we have the Believer's Redemption, — 
"in whom we have redemption through His Blood," and 
the measure of all this marvel and wonder is, "according 
to the riches of His grace" (vs. 7). But the fruits of re- 
demption lie buried in the roots of redemption. Redemp- 
tion is threefold in its stages, viz., past, present and future. 
This Book of Ephesians calls attention to a "day of re- 
demption" (1 :14; 4:30). To grasp the intent of the Divine 
mind a Revelation is required and unquestionably John 
Eadie was right when he said, "The words 'wisdom' and 
'prudence' are essentially connected with the disclosure of a 
mystery." — Eadie on Ephesians, p. 43. 

Therefore what God has foreknown, He now makes 
known. Those who were the object of God's Predestina- 
tion and Redemption have vouchsafed unto them a Revela- 
tion. He makes known unto them the "mystery of His 
will" (vs. 9). But this was done in "all wisdom and pru- 
dence." God does nothing out of cunning and caprice. 
These are the marks of man. God does what He does by 
His counsel. He has no respect of persons, but He does 
have respect of time and place. "According to the good 
pleasure which He purposed in Himself," He has made 
known unto the Church the "mystery of His will." But 
with what wisdom and prudence! "A 'mystery' is not to 
be flung abroad without due discrimination." — Eadie. 

In wisdom He selects His audience — the Jew and Gen- 
tile brought together and builded together in "one Body." 
There would have been no display of wisdom to have 
shown it to either until they were "both one." "Togeth- 
er" they could both see that which neither could have seen 
when they were apart. Prior to their union together in 
Christ they were kept in separation, which separation was 
of God's own revealed purpose. It was God who placed the 
middle wall of partition between the Jew and the Gentile. 
This was done to keep one "in" and the other "out." But 



PREDESTINATION — REVELATION — DISPENSATION 51 

now the "middle wall" is "broken down," therefore in wis- 
dom God may now reveal the "mystery of His will." 

He prudently chooses the proper time. When Israel as a 
nation was yet in the "land" and the Gentiles as nations 
were looking to Israel for blessing, there would have been 
but little show of prudence to have made known the mys- 
tery of His will. When national Israel is set aside and 
Gentiles as nations, placed on the waiting list, awaiting the 
revival, return and restoration of Israel — then, and not till 
then, was the proper time for the revelation or, to "make 
known" "the mystery of His will." Herein is prudence. 

"Wisdom and prudence" are also displayed in the meth- 
od of disclosure. The "mysteries" of Ephesians were not 
committed to the prophets of the Old Testament. Says 
Paul, "How that by revelation He made known unto me 
the mystery" (chap. 3:2). 

Says Dr. Scofield in the Scofield Bible: 

"The mystery hid in God was to make of Jew and Gentile a wholly 
new thing — the Church which is His (Christ's) Body. The revela- 
tion of this mystery was committed to Paul. In his writings alone 
we find the doctrine, position, walk and destiny of the Church." 

Wisdom is often ascribed to God. Some boldly affirm 
that prudence cannot be predicated of God. But here is 
the word "prudence." The word prudent is used four times 
in the New Testament (Matt. 11:25; Luke 10:21; Acts 13: 
7; I Cor. 1 :19), but the word "prudence" but once and here. 
The Greek word "phronesis" — it indicates "thoughtful- 
ness," "goodness," "practical wisdom," especially in the 
management of affairs. The word as used in the passage 
signifies that "practical sagacity which an initiator mani- 
fests in the disclosure of a mystery — a quality which, after 
the manner of men is referred to God." But this word 
"mystery" — how mysterious ! In fact, many teachers have 
made a great mystery of the "mystery." Inasmuch as we 
will often meet the word in Ephesians it is well to come to 
some understanding of its Biblical meaning early. The 
word has been used, misused and abused. Some are fear- 



52 EPHESIANS 

ful and afraid for through the medium of this word much 
speculation and not a little false interpretation has been of- 
fered. The word as used here is "musterion." It occurs in 
Ephesians six times as follows: 1:9; 3:3,4,9; 5:32; 6:19. 

G. Handly Moule gives the proper definition of the word 
as follows, "Always in the New Testament a truth undis- 
coverable except by revelation; never necessarily (as our 
popular use of the word may suggest) a thing unintellig- 
ible, or perplexing in itself." 

Indeed, the word mystery also carries the force of mys- 
tery only to the uninitiated. Here in Ephesians we have 
the "mystery of His will" "discoverable by revelation." 
There are a number of things in Scripture called "a mys- 
tery" which are undiscoverable apart from Divine revela- 
tion. Of these things we hope to speak at other points 
in Ephesians. Pray, friends, do not make a mystery of 
the "mystery." It is a revealing, not a concealing. The 
"mystery" in Ephesians is expounded, not confounded. 

The student doubtless has felt the trend and the tendency 
of these great truths. We have been constantly moving 
forward to a goal. Certainly swift currents in the coun- 
sel of God have been sweeping out toward a boundless sea. 
We shall soon reach the infinite bosom of the Divine objec- 
tive. Having made mention of the Predestination, Re- 
demption and Revelation we now come to Dispensation. 

It is in verse 10, which is a summary of the "mystery 
of His will," that the colossal character of the Divine pur- 
pose breaks upon our vision. This purpose is expressed 
as a "dispensation of the fulness of times." We do not 
know all this verse means, — nor do we think any have 
sounded its depths, much less exhausted its wealth of 
meaning. 




CHAPTER VIII 

CHRIST— CREATOR, CONSERVATOR 
AND CONSUMMATOR! 

"The universe was created to reach its perfection in Christ, an«, 
the eternal thought of God has been moving through countless ages, 
of imperfection, development, pain and conflict, toward this great 
end. Crossed, resisted, defied, apparently thwarted by moral evil, 
the Divine purpose has been steadfast, has never been surrendered. 
Its energy has been wonderfully revealed in the incarnation and 
death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Its final triumph is secure." — R. W. 
Dale of Birmingham. 

;HRIST is the Divine goal ! To Him all things move 
as by Him "all things were made !" He is not only 
Creator but Conservator and Consummator! He is 
the Alpha and also the Omega. He is the "beginning" and 
the "end." Here is the title of all titles. The Lord Jesus 
Christ A. Z. The Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, 
and all that the alphabet may spell out between. 

Surely John Robertson is right when speaking of Christ 
in the Scriptures, "He is revealed by this revelation, the 
center and the circumference of the 66." 

In Him is the Centralization of Creation and Revelation. 
The created works of God and the revealed Word of God 
are both Christo-centric. In Him is Originality, Instrumen- 
tality, Centrality and Finality. 

Those things which were made by Him in Creation are 
now held by Him in Conservation and in time fullness will 
be brought by Him to Divine Consummation. He is the 
Governor directing all things to the Goal. Jesus Christ is 
in charge of the universe. He is "before all things," refers 
to position in person and power, as well as to priority in 
plan and time. There is a "forward movement" in all 
Scripture. There is no "going back to Christ," but going 
on to Christ. There is progress in the plan of God. God 
trusted in Christ before He asked any of His creatures to 



54 EPHESIANS 

do so. He imposed upon Him and invested with Him, His 
eternal purpose. 

The Eternal Word is therefore, the goal of the universe 
as He was the starting point. Things must end in unity as 
they proceeded in unity and the center of this unity is 
Christ. The Scriptures open with "In the beginning God." 
They will end with "God" (I Cor. 15:28). 

This is the subject of which Ephesians 1:10 is the sum- 
mary. 

"That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather 
together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and 
which are on earth; even in Him" (Eph. 1:10). 

It is Christ Consummator! 

As we write we are not unconscious of much that is 
written to-day in a "show of wisdom" and must say once 
for all and here, that the "summing up of all things in 
Christ" does not give us explicit information in regard to 
the destiny of all creatures in eternity. This remains in 
Christ's hands (John 5 :24). Besides we have never found 
any way to logically, etymologically or theologically make 
the word "things" to mean "persons." We are slow to 
yield our New Testament in its present versions. We be- 
lieve that much that is called "version" is "perversion." 
We are not willing to receive a translation of our Testa- 
ment from the Greek at the hands of a novice. In attempt- 
ing to "arrive at the text" let us be careful we do not 
receive a "pretext." Some think it a high-sounding phrase — 
"the Greek says — so-and-so," but it will be found often to 
cover a multitude of ignorance rather than to display mas- 
ter wisdom. 

But now the passage under consideration (vs. 10). 

1. "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times." 
The word rendered "dispensation" is literally "steward- 
ship" or "house management." The word in the New Testa- 
ment occurs in Luke 16 :2, 3, 4, in the general sense of 
"stewardship." Oikonomia is used with special reference 
to the Gospel and sometimes describes it as an arrange- 



CHRIST — CREATOR, CONSERVATOR AND CONSUMMATOR ! 55 

ment or dispensation under charge of the Apostles or 
"stewards" (I Cor. 4:1,2; 9:17; Eph. 3:2; Col. 1:25; Titus 
1 :7; I Peter 4:10). Says Alford, "After a long and careful 
search I am unable to find a word which will express the 
full meaning of Oikonomia." The mistake which has mis- 
led most commentators (save Stier) has been in taking it 
as a fixed terminus a quo — , the coming of Christ as Gala- 
tians 4 :4, whereas usage and sense determine it to mean the 
whole duration of the Gospel times. We believe this word 
speaks of both duration and termination. Jesus Christ is 
the Dispenser or Steward over the scheme of the ages. As 
the "firstborn" He stands as a responsible Trustee unto 
God. In Him is the plan of the ages and in Him their 
prosecution and perfection also (Heb. 11:3). As "House 
Manager" or Administrator He has purpose and plan 
which moves on to perfection. He is putting the disordered 
house into order. It marks God's time, a time prearranged 
by Him and to which time all other "times" have been, 
under the administrative activity of the Administrator of 
the ages, moving on to this "full time dispensation." 

God's Calendar is with Christ. It was the "fulness of 
time" when He came the first time (Gal. 4:4). It will be 
"times fulness" when He comes again. 

Let us remember that when Christ in Colossians is 
called the "Firstborn of all creation" it is a step in His hu- 
miliation. The first use of the title "firstborn" expresses 
its constant use. 

"Reuben, thou art my first born, MY MIGHT, and the beginning 
of MY STRENGTH, the EXCELLENCY OF DIGNITY, and the EX- 
CELLENCY OF POWER" (Gen. 49:3). 

As the "firstborn" Christ became responsible for the 
household and the children of the household. This was the 
"dignity" and "power" conferred on the "firstborn." One 
of these days Christ will render an account of His steward- 
ship as the "firstborn" and not only "in the dispensation 
of the fulness of times," bring to order the disordered 



56 EPHESIANS 

house, but triumphantly shout, "Here I am, Father and all 
the children Thou hast given Me" (Heb. 2 :13 ; see Is. 8 :17). 
First-born refers to His position and not His person as 
Russellism would seek to teach, thus reviving the Gnosti- 
cism of the first centuries. The Arians also endeavored to 
draw from this verse the inference that the Son was a cre- 
ated being, that He was the first-born of every creature. 

The word "Firstborn" is not a reference to His Person, 
but to His position and priority as related to creation. 

O that men would learn to distinguish between the Per- 
son of Christ and the Position of Christ. 

O that men would learn to distinguish between who HE 
WAS and what HE DID. 

"Firstborn" is not who He was, but what He did. Christ 
was always who He is. He changed position but Person 
NEVER! 

Christ is not a creature, but a Creator. He is the Head 
of God's household. He assumed it as the "firstborn." He 
stands at the head of all creation. He is the Administrator 
of affairs and as such Administrator He will sum up the 
disorder of both spheres, for, that 

2. "He might gather together in one all things in Christ, 

both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even 

in Him," 

or in the words of the Weymouth translation, — 

"And this is in harmony with God's merciful purpose for the gov- 
ernment of the world when the times are ripe for it — the purpose 
which he has cherished in his own mind of restoring the whole cre- 
ation to find its one Head in Christ; yes, things in heaven and things 
on earth, to find their one Head in Him." 

Now we understand Stewardship and are introduced to 
the Summary and the Spheres. 

STEWARDSHIP "that in the dispensation of the ful- 
ness of times. " 

SUMMARY "gather together in one all things in 
Christ." 

SPHERES "both which are in heaven and in earth." 



CHRIST — CREATOR, CONSERVATOR AND CONSUMMATOR ! 57 

Moule is right in saying, The Greek may be literally 
represented by, "that He might head up all things in 
Christ.'' The verb is only used elsewhere (in N. T.) Ro- 
mans 13 :9, where A. V. reads, "it is briefly comprehended" 
— summed up. Therefore let us so read — "To sum up all 
things in Christ as Head." 

"Gather together" implies a "scattering." He gathers 
only the things scattered. Things "scattered" implies dis- 
order. This statement therefore indicates that Christ will 
put in order the things in disorder. He will restore things 
to their primal unity. The discord and disorder will under 
Him resolve into eternal harmony. In Colossians we have 
unity in origin with Christ as its Author. In Ephesians we 
have unity in the ultimate with Christ as its Finisher. 

Sin is the cause of this disorder. Sin is the separater and 
scatterer! Sin separated and scattered things in both 
spheres, — "heaven and earth." At the opening of the Bible 
we are introduced to these two spheres, — "In the begin- 
ning God created the heavens and the earth" (R. V.). These 
two spheres have been invaded by sin and of course the 
original sinner in the universe of God is Satan. Jesus 
Christ "will destroy the works of the devil." 

The phrase "things in heaven" — denotes the higher and 
more distant spheres of creation. These along with things 
on the earth are to be placed in the dispensation of times 
fullness under the One Headship of Christ. 

SIN— SPHERES— SCATTERED 

"Sin has invaded and uprooted the harmony of the universe." — 
Ttainsford. 

"Rebellion produced disorder, the unity of the kingdom was brok- 
en, earth was morally severed from heaven." — Eadie. 

Sin has scattered and separated things in heaven and 
in earth. 

I. Sin Separated God and His Creatures. 

(Especially referring to created intelligences, angels and 
creatures of His creation. How sin has invaded their ranks ! 



58 EPHESIANS 

Some are in chains of darkness, imprisoned, awaiting judg- 
ment and eternal destiny [II Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6]. A faith- 
ful company stand before His face — performing His will 
[Heb. 1:14]. These remain unmoved by rebellion and 
apostasy.) 

II. Sinful Man and a Holy God were Separated. 
(Is. 59:2, cf. Rev. 7:15; 21:3). 

III. Men and Angels were Separated. 

(This shall not always be so [John 1 :51] ). 

IV. Nations were Separated from Nations. 
(Gen. 11). 

V. Jews Separated from Gentiles. 
(Gen. 12). 

VI. Death — Dissolution Separated Body, Soul and Spirit. 
(IThess. 5:23). 

VII. Israel Was Scattered among the Nations. 

Thus we see the task laid upon Christ. Ephesians cele- 
brates the triumph in Christ. The death of Christ is the 
means to this end. His mediative work has secured it. 

As a stone dropped in a lake creates those widening and 
concentric circles, which ultimately reach the furthest 
shores, so the deed done on Calvary has sent its blessed 
undulations through the distant spheres and realms of 
God's great empire. Redemption through His Blood ! The 
Headship of Christ is the hope of the Universe. Hallelu- 
jah! 

He will "gather together," "sum up" all things in "Him- 
self." 

"Himself" is the ultimate and the final. 

This "summing up" has been likened to the reunion of a 
dispersed army. 

Again it has been presented as the addition of arithmet- 
ical sums. This general idea of summation is correct, with 



CHRIST — CREATOR,, CONSERVATOR AND CONSUMMATOR ! 59 

the additional thought of recollection. Christ will collect 
again things under one Head. O what a collection ! 

The words of John Eadie, a man mighty in the Scrip- 
tures, are wise and well may they be here appended: 

"Since the days of Origen, the advocates of the doctrine of uni- 
versal restoration have sought a proof-text in this passage. The 
context, however, plainly limits the "things on earth" to such as 
have redemption by His Blood. Unredeemed man is ignored. But 
the punishment of the impenitent affects not the unity of Christ's 
government. Evil has lost its power of creating disorder, for it is 
punished, confined, and held as a very feeble thing in the grasp of 
the Almighty Avenger." 

Thus we are left gazing upon Jesus Christ, the Son of 
God, the Creator, the Conservator, and the Consummator — 
left looking upon Him, in whose dispensation or steward- 
ship, all things are to be gathered up so that of the pres- 
ent fragments scattered about in two spheres, "nothing 
shall remain." My Jesus, I love Thee ! Amen. 



CHAPTER IX 
THE SEALING AND SECURING SPIRIT 

Oh, how precious must we be to God, who has not only given us 
His Son to die for our sins and redeemed us to an inheritance pre- 
destined for us, but has also made us in Him an inheritance and 
possession for Himself, sealing us unto the day of redemption." — 
Marcus Rainsford. 

'E have found ourselves to be the object of the 
Eternal Purpose of God the Father, and through 
l^&L Redemption, the Present Possession of the Son, 
but now we are to hear of Him who as yet has not been 
mentioned, — the Holy Spirit — the third person of the ever 
Blessed and Adorable Trinity! 

That which was essentially ours by the will of God the 
Father and instrumentally ours by the Blood of the Son is 
now experimentally ours in the Holy Spirit. 

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of Truth, 
the Gospel of your salvation: in whom also after ye believed, ye 
were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. Which is the earnest 
of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased posses- 
sion, unto the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1:13,14). 

A brief analysis of the verses under consideration may 
help the student to better grasp the sum and substance of 
our present lecture. 

I. The Place of Sealing— "in Christ" "in Whom." 
II. The Person Sealing,— "that Holy Spirit of promise." 

III. The Persons Sealed, — "in whom ye were sealed." 

IV. The Purpose of Sealing, — "earnest of our inheritance." 

V. The Property Sealed, — "the purchased possession." 

VI. The Pledge of Sealing, — "unto the day of redemp- 
tion." 

VII. The Praise of Sealing,— "His glory." 



THE SEALING AND SECURING SPIRIT 61 

Let us now consider this Divine Declaration of Pur- 
chase ! Here the Divine Father by Publication gives Noti- 
fication of a Purchased Possession ! 

Let men, angels and devils take notice and keep off His 
possessions! The Church is His claim and herein is the 
Declaration of Purchase with purpose and promise at- 
tached! This, beloved believer, is the "Gospel of your sal- 
vation," the Word ye "believed and received." A Salvation 
which not only* made you safe from the penalty of judg- 
ment which, in the past, should have justly fallen, but a 
Salvation which secures you for the future by means of 
the Spirit's Seal. To Him be praise ! 

And, oh, the holy harmony of the glorious Godhead, for 
what the Father decrees the Son accomplishes, and to the 
work of the Son the Holy Spirit sets His seal! As John 
set his seal to the Word of God (John 5:33) the Holy 
Spirit set His seal to the work of Christ. The sealing of 
the believer is the Spirit's Amen to the work of Christ. 
The Spirit indeed "answers to the Blood." 

Again, what a seal is this — for it is a loving seal — the 
Holy Spirit Himself! Behold the interlinking chain of 
Divine security, — the Sealer is God, the believer is the pos- 
session sealed, the Spirit is the Seal and the place wherein 
the believer is by God sealed by the Holy Spirit, the Seal is 
"in Christ." But of this we shall see more as we continue ; 
now to the Sealer, the Seal and the Sealed. 

The first mention in the New Testament of the Father's 
sealing is not in Ephesians, nor is it the sealing of the 
believer in Christ. In John 6:27 we read: "Labor not for 
the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endur- 
eth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give 
unto you : for him hath God the Father sealed." In John, 
the Father seals the Son. In Ephesians He seals the Sons. 
In this experience the believer is as his Lord. 



62 EPHESIANS 

Dr. Gordon has spoken significantly of the Sealing of the 
Son on this wise : 

"This sealing must evidently refer back to His reception of the 
Spirit at the Jordan. One of the most instructive writers on the 
Hebrew worship and ritual tells us that it was the custom for the 
priest to whom the service pertained, having selected a lamb from 
the flock, to inspect it with the most minute scrutiny, in order to 
discover if it was without physical defect, and then to seal it with 
the Temple seal, thus certifying that it was fit for sacrifice and for 
food. Behold the Lamb of God presenting Himself for inspection at 
the Jordan! Under the Father's omniscient scrutiny He is found 
to be "a Lamb without blemish and without spot." From the open- 
ing heaven God gives witness to the fact in the words, "This is My 
beloved Son in whom I am well pleased," and then He puts the Holy 
Ghost upon Him, the testimony to His Sonship, the seal of His 
separation unto sacrifice and service." 

Let us now consider the Spiritual Significance of the 
Spirit's Sealing. 

I. A Seal Is for Preservation. 

"Preserved in Jesus Christ" (Jude 1 :1). Shut up by God 
in Christ and sealed in Him by the Holy Spirit. Once 
"dead in trespasses and sins," now in Christ where we can- 
not get out or none can get in to take us out. What a 
position beyond all opposition! Safety and certainty, se- 
cured by the Spirit who seals us in the Son. 

The act of preserving is a simple transaction. The 
housewife receives the fruit of the season and preserves 
it in the receptacle provided, carefully sealing it within 
from and beyond the reach of hostile elements, which would 
contribute to its fermentation and corruption. Preserved 
and sealed, the fruit is held in store for the day of feast- 
ing, when friends will gather about the board, or a time of 
need beyond a season of fruit. 

The believer, the fruit of Christ's passion, is preserved 
in Christ and sealed within Christ by the Holy Spirit, unto 
a future day — the day of redemption. No, we trust but lit- 
tle or none in the "preserverance of the Saints," we trust 
wholly and altogether in the preserving and sealing of the 
saints by the Holy Spirit of God, who, when once a believ- 
er is in Christ, seals him in ! Oh, the keeping and preserv- 



THE SEALING AND SECURING SPIRIT 63 

ing power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer of the Saints in 
Christ ! Kept from the corruption of the present age ! 
Kept from the evil power of the present age! Kept from 
the evil person who rules the present age and directs its 
energies ! Praise to Him "who hath delivered us from this 
present evil age, according to the will of God the Father" 
<Gal. 1 :4). 

II. A Seal Signifies Authentication. 

Whom Christ saves the Holy Spirit seals. The Holy 
Spirit honors the "Blood." Where Christ has made atone- 
ment the Holy Spirit vouchsafes anointment. The Holy 
Spirit seals and secures those for whom Christ suf- 
fered. The Holy Spirit sets His seal that the work of 
Christ is satisfactory. Again, behold the holy harmony of 
the glorious Godhead — God the Father acknowledges and 
bears witness to the finished work of Christ by raising Him 
from the dead — the Holy Spirit bears witness to the fin- 
ished work of Christ by sealing those whom Christ has 
quickened from the dead. 

Says Ridout: — 

"A beautiful illustration of this occurs in the Levitical ordinances 
of the Old Testament. In the consecration of the priests and in the 
restoration of the leper, the blood of sacrifice was put upon ear and 
hand and foot, marking the whole man as redeemed (Lev. 8:23; 14: 
14). After this application of the blood they were sprinkled with oil 
— type of the Spirit. Particularly in the case of the leper, we are 
told that the oil was put upon ear and hand and foot, UPON THE 
BLOOD. So the Spirit of God seals us because of the Blood, the 
work of Christ. It is not a matter of personal worthiness or of 
personal faithfulness, but of the value of the work of Christ. Have 
we rested in that. Then we are sealed — Divinely authenticated as 
belonging to God — by His Spirit." 

The Holy Spirit's one delight is in attestation and con- 
confirmation of the work of Christ! Where Christ has 
shed His Blood the Spirit sets His seal! God be glorious 
in our eyes ! ! 

III. A Seal Is to Prevent Molestation. 

Let none tamper with the seal God hath set. We have a 
salvation which is beyond molestation and the Spirit's seal 



64 EPHESIANS 

signifies the same. The colossal lie of the first century was 
a conclusive testimony to the fixed truth of all centuries — 
"Christ died for our sins * * was buried * * and rose again 
the third day" (I Cor. 15:3). 

When Christ was laid away in the tomb He was sealed 
then. He was sealed then by the Roman Government. 
This was done at the instigation of the Chief Priests and 
Pharisees, for said they unto Pilate, 

"Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while He was 
yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command there- 
fore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day,, 
lest His disciples come by night, and steal Him away, and 
say unto the people, He is risen from the dead : so the last 
error shall be worse than the first" (Matt. 27:63,64). 

The answer of Pilate was, 

"Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye 
can" (Matt. 27:65). It was a Roman seal, placed by Ro- 
man soldiers under the governor's direction — who dare mo- 
lest? The seal was to prevent molestation, and mark you,, 
no human fingers ever touched the seal that sealed Christ 
within Joseph's tomb. There was not one in the land who 
had the daring to defy human law and touch an affixed 
seal. If, as the colossal lie concocted in the dilemma of the 
priests and Pharisees, the disciples came and "stole Him 
away while they slept" in order that they might circulate a 
resurrection story and thus by their lie confirm this lie of 
Him who had said, "on the third day He would arise from 
the dead;" why, we ask, were the disciples not brought to 
judgment, for they remained several months in and about 
Jerusalem and were in easy reach of the law and deserved 
its full penalty for such an atrocious crime as removing a 
seal by Roman law affixed. 

Why were not the soldiers who slept at the post of duty 
while this ghoulish thieving was going on and this stupen- 
dous fraud was being enacted, why, we say, were they not 
punished? For Roman law provided punishment as a pen- 
alty. And why was not the captain of the guard punished 



THE SEALING AND SECURING SPIRIT 65 

for failure to patrol his guards, for if he had been doing his 
duty he would have come suddenly upon the sleepers and 
would have taken their garments and presented them at the 
tribunal the following day as a witness against the sleep- 
ers, for unquestionably this is the meaning and significance 
of "blessed is he that keepeth his garments" (Rev. 16:15). 

That seal was placed on that tomb to prevent molesta- 
tion, and no human finger fumbled at that seal. No human 
feet passed those watchers. It was an earthquake from be- 
neath, and the angel of the Lord from heaven that re- 
moved that seal and rolled away the stone. It was the 
Lord of Life who got up and majestically walked out. The 
Roman government has no case against the Son of God 
and for this reason the case was dropped and resolved into 
a lie. 

The Spirit's seal is also to prevent molestation. Let none 
touch or tamper where the Holy Spirit has set His seal. 
None can pass this Holy Watcher and steal believers from 
Christ. The Holy Spirit has sealed us up in Christ beyond 
molestation. We are "in Christ" and Christ is in heaven 
at the right hand of God. None can molest us unless they 
may wrest from Him. The believer's position in Christ is 
as secure as Christ Himself on the throne of God. Until 
He is deposed can we be molested? Strong words these. 
Yes, but not so strong as He ! 

IV. A Seal Secures in Tribulation. 

The Drama of the Day of the Lord is ready for enact- 
ment. The great day has come ! But upon the earth these 
judgments cannot fall until a remnant from the twelve 
tribes of Israel are sealed and thus secured. The remnant 
of the nation must stand for the rest of the nation. This 
is as it has ever been. Therefore we read : 

"And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four 
corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the 
wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 
And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal 
of the Living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, 



66 EPHESIANS 

to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, "Saying, Hurt 
not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the 
servants of our God in their foreheads" (Rev. 7:1-3). 

Then follows the sealing. "One hundred and forty and 
four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel." 

Unlike the Church, which escapes the tribulation, the 
twelve tribes of Israel are sealed to pass through the tribu- 
lation. A seal stands for security in tribulation, whether 
it be the "tribulation" period or any tribulation present. 
There are many things which would separate us, and 
among them and first is "tribulation" (see Rom. 8:35), but 
our security in Christ is our sufficiency for these things. 
We are sealed in Him, for though tribulation may come, 
it cannot separate. Whom God has sealed none and noth- 
ing can separate. 

V. A Seal Signifies Identification. 

Having given notification by proclamation and publica- 
tion of the purchase of a possession, God also stamps and 
seals the believer for future identification. "The Lord 
knows^ them that are His." "This seal is on the very foun- 
dation" of God" (II Tim. 2 :19). Whoever they be and who- 
ever they are, He knows them and they are sealed for 
identification. I am the Good Shepherd, and know My 
sheep" (John 10:14). 

This seal cannot be effaced. Time cannot do it. Trial 
cannot do it. Testing or tribulation cannot efface, deface 
or obscure this identifying seal. Death, dissolution or de- 
cay cannot do it. Mortality cannot swallow it up or the 
grave erase the Divine engraving! It remains affixed 
through all changes. This seal is beyond the tampering of 
time and the plundering of the elements. Sealed with the 
Holy Spirit of promise. Never beyond His recognition. 
Says Bichersteth: 

"The allusion to the seal as a pledge of purchase would be pe- 
culiarly intelligible to the Ephesians, for Ephesus was a maritime 
city, and an exclusive trade in timber was carried on there by the 
shipmasters of the neighboring ports. The method of purchase was 



THE SEALING AND SECURING SPIRIT 67 

this: The merchant, after selecting his timber, stamped it with his 
own signet, which was an acknowledged sign of ownership. He 
often did not carry off his possession at the time; it was left in the 
harbor with other floats of timber; but it was chosen, bought, and 
stamped; and in due time the merchant sent a trusty agent with 
the signet, who, finding that timber which bore a corresponding im- 
press, claimed and brought it away for the master's use. Thus the 
Holy Spirit impresses on the soul now the image of Jesus Christ; 
and this is the sure pledge of the everlasting inheritance." 

Thus the believer is stamped and sealed for identification. 
The faithful Agent has done His work and has done it well. 
The Lord will get His own from among the dead at the 
appointed time. They are sealed for identification unto the 
day of redemption. None of them will be lost who are in 
His love. His seal is our security. 

An announcement was made from a public platform : A 
purse containing considerable money and other valuables 
has been found. It will be returned to the owner upon 
proper identification. Soon a lady approached declaring she 
was the owner. Said she, "There was $20.00 in gold, also 
some currency, a signet ring and a watch within the purse, 
which was black pin seal, lined with dark blue satin and on 
one side were monogram initials A. G. W." Said the Mod- 
erator, "You have accurately and properly identified the 
property, it is yours." God knows His property without 
and within and will claim His own at the day of redemp- 
tion and has stamped each one with the seal of identifica- 
tion. 

VI. A Seal Is for Destination. 

We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise "unto the 
day of redemption" (Eph. 4:30). 

In 1 :14 the "Holy Spirit" is the earnest of our inher- 
itance until the redemption of the purchased possession. In 
4 :30 the Holy Spirit has sealed us unto the day of redemp- 
tion. "Until" and "unto" are not synonymous. Often one 
hears Revelation 2:11 misquoted as follows: "Be thou faith- 
ful until death and I will give thee a crown of life." The 
word is "unto." There is a difference with a Divine dis- 



DO EPHESIANS 

tinction. "Until" speaks of incompleteness. "Unto" speaks 
of completion. "Until" speaks of arrest, "unto" of arrival. 
"Until" signifies the "continuance" of an action up to the 
time of another action. "Unto" places the limit and implies 
termination. "Unto" speaks of "destination." 

We are sealed by the Holy Spirit "unto" the day of re- 
demption, implying destination. There is to be a "day of 
redemption." Redemption is not fully understood and oft- 
en misunderstood. Many think of "redemption" as a fact 
accomplished in the past. The roots of redemption lie in 
the past, but the fruits of redemption are future. The 
tenses of Christ's redeeming triumph are significantly 
stated in Second Corinthians 1 :10, "Who delivered us from 
so great a death (past work of Christ), and doth deliver: 
(present work of Christ) in whom we trust that He will 
yet deliver us" (Christ's future work). At the cross re- 
demption's purchased price was paid. At the Coming of 
Christ, "the redemption of the purchased possession." It 
is unto this time, the Holy Spirit has sealed and secured us. 
Unto the Holy Spirit is committed our survival and ar- 
rival unto this day. 

As we write all Europe is covered with war clouds — 
dark and ominous. Perils on land and sea await this part 
of the world for which it seems a baptism of blood is 
due. We have just read the following: 

"The British fleet sailed under sealed orders to-day. No hint of 
its destination has been given. It is believed to be a movement in- 
tended to mystify all foreign powers and prevent any probability of 
an aeroplane attack on the dreadnought squadron." 

Certainly we take no pleasure in this note of devilish 
and dreadful war, but it illustrates our consideration that 
a seal is for destination. The British fleet sailed under 
sealed orders, no hint of destination is given. 

The Church, the Body of Christ, believers of this hostile 
time present, is under sealed orders. Sealed by the Holy 
Spirit — but point of destination is fully known and already 
revealed before the time. "Sealed unto the day of redemp- 



THE SEALING AND SECUKING SPIRIT 69 

tion." This is our destination. No mystery movements, 
no fear of enemies or failure. No — but "unto the day of 
redemption." 

VII. A Seal Is for Presentation. 

The "day of redemption" will be a day of presentation. 
In the exchange of gifts among sovereigns the gifts are 
sealed for presentation. Among us all in the exchange of 
gifts at the holiday season, there is a custom of wrapping 
carefully and sealing the gifts for presentation. The gifts 
must be delivered with marks of love and care, which make 
for preparation in presentation. A package carelessly 
wrapped, in a wrinkled, crumpled manner, would speak of 
relieving an obligation rather than bestowing a gift of af- 
fection. 

When Christ presents His Church which has been sealed 
by the Holy Spirit it will be a "glorious Church, not having 
spot or wrinkle or any such thing." 

Who have not, in the height of a holiday season, been the 
recipients of a package carefully arranged and marked with 
a seal, "Do Not Open till Christmas"? The joy would 
come in the morning! That which was sealed in secret 
would then be displayed openly. The seals would be broken 
and eyes would feast on the love token. O the joy of the 
morning! There is a day of presentation. The believer is 
sealed for the day. Therefore in benediction let us sing, 

"Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to 
present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceed- 
ing joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, 
dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen" (Jude 1:24,25). 



CHAPTER X 

THE PKAYEK OF PAUL— 
THE THEEE "WHATS" 



"If prayer for others is a barometer of our own spiritual life, we 
can realize what Saint Paul felt was necessary for himself by his 
prayers for others. 

"In Ephesians there are two petitions, and nothing fuller and deep- 
er is found in any of the Apostle's writings. This Epistle represents 
the high water mark of Christian privilege and possibility." — Prof. 
W. H. Griffith-Thomas, D.D., in "The Prayers of Saint Paul." 

a^T? ijB have now arrived at the first prayer of the Apos- 

fj (a K tie in the Ephesian letter and are to hear the 

*s£^lL Apostle pray ! It is said students of the saintly 

Bengel secreted themselves within the draperies of his 

bedroom that they might hear his retiring prayer. Bengel 

knelt before God, and this is what and all he said : 

"I thank Thee, Lord Jesus, that we are on the same old terms. 
Good-night. Amen." 

To think we are permitted to hear the Apostle Paul pray ! 
And what a prayer — a prayer uttered by the Holy Spirit 
through him! A prayer of spiritual revelation to have 
permanent place on the page of Divine Inspiration ! 

Hearken! he prays: 

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may 
give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge 
of Him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye 
may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of 
the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceed- 
ing greatness of His power to us- ward who believe, according to the 
working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when 
He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand 
in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and 
might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in 
this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things 
under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the 
Church, which is His Body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all" 
(1:17-23). 



THE PRAYER OF PAUL — THE THREE "WHATS" 71 

Let us prayerfully meditate upon this prayer, concerning 
which Bishop Moule has so pertinently remarked, "The 
prayer that the saints may fully realize their Divine priv- 
ileges and prospects in Christ." 

It is addressed (1 :17) to the "God of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, the Father of glory." 

This statement has startled many. Some think the state- 
ment infers the Son to be secondary Deity. Such is not the 
case. We must remember that the person of Christ has 
never changed. He is who He was and will always be who 
He is. "Thou changest not." He has never changed in 
Person, He is as immutable as God Himself who indeed 
He is. 

He has, however, changed in Position. The only thing 
He can change is His position, but His person never. He 
has been manifested under various names, but His nature 
has never changed. The same in nature is He yesterday, 
to-day and forever. He cannot in person and nature be 
other than He was and is and will be. He is as immutable 
as He is infallible. Indeed the latter is the result of the 
former. Not only is the Son of the same essence with the 
Father, but He is God in and from Himself. 

The incarnation did not in the least alter the nature and 
person of the Lord. At the incarnation He changed His 
position and manifestation, but in person He was who 
He always was, but now (though incarnate) He was still 
God, but God manifested in the flesh. 

The "Father" is the God of the Son incarnate in a sense 
which the incarnation imposed on Him — not by any 
change of His nature. Never as long as God gives us a 
pen with which to write or a pulpit in which to preach, 
shall we ever preach Christ to be less than He is, for He is 
God. Yes, indeed, there is a vast difference and distance 
between the Christ of Divine Revelation and Human Rea- 
son! 

The "Father of Glory" is also a unique phrase and unlike 
any other. Whatever may be the radiation and emanation 



72 



EPHESIANS 



of glory is due to its origination. The universe has had 
much display of God's glory and in the future the exhibi- 
tion of His glory will surpass any display that has been 
made in times past. The whole earth is to be filled with 
His glory (Is. 6:3). But God is here called the "Father of 
Glory," the One in whom glory had parenthood. Glory is 
the offspring of God. Without God there would be no 
glory, for He is the "Lord of glory" (I Cor. 2:8) and the 
"God of glory" (Ps. 29:3). 

But we believe the glory, to which the Apostle refers in 
the address of his prayer, is not so much the essential glory 
which in God doth dwell, but that glory which He has won 
for Himself as the "God of our Lord Jesus Christ," for the 
Lord Jesus Christ is the glory of God. The glory of which 
God is possessed has no medium of manifestation apart 
from the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the sole Exhibitor of His 
glory. God is the Father of this glory, which glory is on 
exhibition in and through the Son. It is in the face of Jesus 
Christ we behold the glory of God. Christ is God's glory 
and God's glory is Christ. 

Then follows the Apostle's petition that God would give 
unto the believer "the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the 
knowledge of Him." We have seen in former studies how 
the believer is secured by the Spirit as an Earnest and Seal, 
but now the Apostle's imploring prayer is that the Holy 
Spirit give "wisdom and revelation." 

Tyndale translates it, 

"That He might give to you the spirit of wisdom and open to you 
the knowledge of Himself." 

This is a wisdom which infinitely transcends human in- 
telligence and a revelation which lies far beyond the search- 
ing of human science. It is wisdom and revelation which 
lies wholly within the bestowal of the Holy Ghost. There 
are things which flesh and blood cannot reveal unto us. 
These things are the things of the Spirit of God and the 
Spirit of God delights in imparting "knowledge of Him." 



THE PRAYER OF PAUL — THE THREE "WHATS" 73 

Human philosophy may be summed up in a well-known 
axiom, "Know thyself," but the Christians' faith rises to 
concern far above things "under the sun" and has for its 
axiom, "Know God." 

It is not the acknowledgment of God of which we are 
now speaking, but the knowledge of God. To know God 
we must have the Holy Spirit of wisdom and revelation. 
Sin has closed our eyes, clouded our minds, clogged our 
vision and stultified our affections, and no human power 
can deliver us from this sin and Satan-imposed bondage 
and burden. If we are ever again to see or to know, the 
eyes of our understanding must be opened by God, the 
Holy Spirit. How absolute is our dependence upon God. 
When will we cease from man and supplicate a Sovereign 
Spirit God ! 

But now we behold the "Three Whats": 

1. "What is the Hope of His calling?" (vs. 18). 

2. "What is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in 
the saints?" (vs. 18). 

3. "What is the exceeding greatness of His power to us- 
ward who believe?" (vs. 19). 

The prayer turns upon this pivot. The "three whats" 
give unto it its subject and scope. It is for the comprehen- 
sion of those "three whats" the Apostle has prayed for us 
all. 

Before we further proceed let each reader with the writer 
bow in the presence of Him who is the Lord and pray for 
enlightened understanding and opened eyes. Everything 
here depends upon Spirit-opened eyes. The scene may be 
fair, the light may be bright, and glorious the vision, but if 
the sight be gone, all is vain. 

Says Spurgeon, 

"Zedekiah had his eyes put out by the king of Babylon, and then 
he was taken down to the imperial city, but for aught he could en- 
joy of all its splendor he might as well have been in a desert. There 
were vast halls and palaces, and hanging gardens, and a city wall 
which was the wonder of the world, so that Babylon is called by the 
prophet, 'The glory of kingdoms and the beauty of the Chaldees' 



74 EPHESIANS 

excellency;' but the blinded monarch beheld nothing of all the 
grandeur of the golden city, and to him her wealth was as though 
it had not been." 

So with the believer, he can know nothing or see any- 
thing of these "three whats" until the Holy Spirit, the Di- 
vine Oculist, has operated upon the vision. 

"WHAT is the hope of His calling?" 

"WHAT the riches of the glory of His inheritance in 
the saints?" 

"WHAT is the exceeding greatness of His power?" 

THE FIRST "WHAT:" 

"What is the hope of His calling?" 

The Apostle prays that the believers' eyes may be opened 
to know "what is the hope of His calling," that is, the call- 
ing of the Church, the object of God's special dealing in the 
present dispensation, and the subject of the Epistle to the 
Ephesians. 

Each calling of God bears with it a "hope" which is in 
perfect harmony with the "calling." God never confuses. 
He never issues a heavenly call with an earthly hope, nor 
an earthly call with a heavenly hope, and in this regard the 
callings of God are without repentance. 

The call of God was sent to Israel. National Israel was 
called in Abraham and confirmed to him and his seed in 
covenants. The purpose of Jehovah's call to Israel was for 
the "blessing of the families of the earth." This will be 
readily seen by a reference to Genesis 12:1-3; 15:4-21; 17: 
1-9; 22:15-18. 

This calling and covenant made with Abraham was con- 
firmed unto Isaac (Gen. 26:1-5) and in turn confirmed also 
unto Jacob (Gen. 28:3,4, 13, 14 and 15). It was continued 
through the chosen line of Israel and did not suffer annul- 
ment at the coming of Christ, for we read, "Now I say that 
Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the 
truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fa- 
thers" (Rom. 15:8). 



THE PRATER OF PAUL — THE THREE "WHATS" 75 

The covenant of God stands sure and while as yet the 
nations of the earth have not realized the fullness of the 
blessings promised through Israel, nevertheless, the Word 
of God standeth sure and our God is a covenant-keeping 
God. "He keepeth His covenant unto generations and 
generations." 

The hope of Israel's calling is the earth. In the earth God 
gave them a Land, a City, a House and a Throne and for 
these, unto this day, Israel has hope. This is the hope of 
Israel's calling and this hope shall be realized. No student 
of the Bible will read Isaiah 61:3 to 62:12 without as- 
surance that their state shall ultimately harmonize with 
their calling. 

The Gentiles or nations of the earth have also a "calling" 
and a "hope." God has called them through Israel and 
let it be remembered that while God dwells in the tents of 
Shem (Israel), yet "God shall enlarge Japheth" and 
Japheth shall dwell under the booth and the blessing of 
Shem. The Gentiles as nations are yet to enjoy, in the 
purpose of God, great national blessing, but this blessing 
is to be brought to them through Israel, the Divine channel. 

O that it were ours at this time to collect and collate the 
future glory of the nations of the earth as revealed in the 
Scriptures. They shall not always be in a state of war, 
but their future attitude is one of the worship of Christ, the 
King of all the kings and the Lord of all the lords. 

The Church is also called and unto the Church is also 
given a "hope" which is in holy harmony with the "call- 
ing." The Church is called into the "heavenlies." It is the 
place of her present standing (Eph. 1 :3), her present strife 
(Eph. 6:12) and her future service (Eph. 3:10). Her wealth 
is in the heavenlies ; her warfare is there and her walk 
should be of that character. 

It is indeed sad to record that the church has forgotten 
the primitive hope and with the loss of this hope has also 
suffered the loss of primitive faith and love. Eyes that 



<0 EPHESIANS 

should be lifted to the heavenlies are now fixed upon the 
earth. Instead of looking to her spiritual sphere, the 
church is now taken up with Social Service. What was 
once done in His name is now done in humanity's name. 
When the church failed in Christian compassion she fell to 
social service. The church is bent to a world task which 
is entirely self-imposed. The church is now busy blowing 
out the red light, cleaning up the slums, reforming politics, 
controlling government, conducting civic affairs, making 
the slate and breaking the slate at the primaries ! The bal- 
lot box has taken the place of the Bible. 

If the church of God would preach the Gospel with as 
much fervor and faithfulness as it enters into reformation, 
true light would, through the regeneration of the sinner, 
be introduced into this world's present darkness. 

"O how the mighty are fallen !" The church has forgotten 
that her one attitude is to look for her Lord from heaven. 
The modern emphasis is a distortion of the Apostle's plain 
declaration. Much modern preaching proclaims that our 
citizenship is of this world. The Apostle claims that "our 
citizenship is in heaven ; from whence also we look for a 
Lord and Saviour" (Phil. 3:20). We stand with the 
Apostle, not with the present apostasy. Our eyes have 
been opened in answer to the Apostle's prayer. We have 
no human intuition, but have received Divine illumination. 

THE SECOND "WHAT:" 

"What is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints?" 

That we have an inheritance in Him is often the subject 
of our meditation and the cause of much exultation! We 
well know that "He is the Heir of all things" (Heb. 1:2) 
and that we are joint-heirs with Him, but here, O the mar- 
vel of it ! the Apostle desires our eyes to be opened to know 
what an inheritance He has in His saints. 

Dr. Griffith Thomas calls attention to the fact that "we 
must never forget that the Biblical ideas as associated with 



THE PRAYER OF PAUL THE THREE "WHATS" 77 

"heir" and "inheritance" always refer to possession, and 
not, as in ordinary phraseology to succession. 

The saints have a wonderful inheritance in their Saviour, 
but can it be that the Saviour has an inheritance in the 
saints? Indeed, these are the very words of the Apostle. 

We have often sung: 

"When by His grace I shall look on His face, 
That will be glory for me." 

Is it possible that we could change the song and scriptur- 

ally sing: 

"When through His grace He shall look in our face, 
That will be glory for Him." 

Yes, God has chosen a people as an inheritance for His 
Son. Behold these two passages of Scripture which for a 
better name we call the "Convergence of Hope." 

"I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness" 
(Ps. 17:15). This is the expectation of the saint. 

"He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be sat- 
isfied" (Is. 53:11). This is the expectation of the Saviour. 

What a wonderful day will that day be when both Sa- 
viour and saints are satisfied ! The inheritance of the 
Saviour is the saints, they form it and are its peculiar glory. 
This purchase is for a purpose entirely redounding to His 
glory. 

To be sure, Wm. Lincoln is right when he says : "God 
has everything, — glory, grace, — but He wants vessels and 
that is what He has in us." 

God was not satisfied in possessing suns and stars, He 
wanted sons and saints. He has them in us. Christ de- 
sired more than to be the creator of suns and stars and 
systems. He made a new creation of sons and saints and 
these we are. 

In these saints Christ has riches of glory, fullness of 
glory, effulgence of glory, outflowing, overflowing glory, 
prodigality of glory, which is yet to flood the universe. 
Certainly we cannot understand, therefore the Apostle 



78 EPHESIANS 

prays that we may. Whatever glory this is, it is all to the 
praise of the glory of His grace. 

O God, open our eyes to know "what is the riches of the 
glory of His inheritance in the saints" ! 

THE THIRD "WHAT:" 

"What is the exceeding greatness of His power?" 

The Apostle also desires that our eyes may be opened 
to know "what is the exceeding greatness of His power to 
usward who believe." 

Power is the one thing the church of God needs most 
and has least. The work of the Lord languishes for lack 
of power. The church, like Samson in the lap of a harlot, 
has divulged the secret of strength and is shorn of power. 
The church cannot arise and go out as at other times, and 
this the Philistines well know. 

O that the Apostle's prayer were answered, that the 
church should have open eyes to realize and recognize the 
present working of His power. 

Dr. A. T. Pierson has called attention to God's standard 
of power in the two Testaments. In the Old Testament 
the measurement by which God worked in behalf of His 
people was "like as it was to Israel in the day that he came 
up out of the land of Egypt" (Is. 11:16). When God de- 
sired to call attention to His power in their behalf, it was 
in calling to their remembrance what God did when He 
brought them out of Egypt. This seems to be the su- 
preme display of His power during the Old Testament 
period. 

There is a new standard of power in the New Testament. 
Not as "when I brought Israel out of Egypt," but when 
Christ was raised from the dead. The Apostle declares that 
God's power to usward is "according to the working of His 
mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He 
raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right 
hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and 



THE PRAYER OF PAUL — THE THREE "WHATS" 79 

power, and might, and dominion and every name that is 
named, not only in this world, but also in that which is tc 
come" (Eph. 1:19-21). This is God's New Testament 
standard. The Apostle desires that our eyes may be 
opened to understand it. 

When God raised Christ from the dead and exalted Him 
to His own right hand, He established a new standard of 
power. It was power transcending anything previously 
revealed. It was great power that brought Israel out of 
Egypt and dealt with the material elements which inter- 
vened as obstacles, but much in excess of this was God's 
display of power when He raised Christ up from the dead. 

Wherein was the resurrection of Christ from the dead 
"exceeding greatness and power"? That Christ should be 
raised from the dead was no secret. The Old Testament 
bore this prophecy and held forth this promise. The Apos- 
tle says, "Christ was raised from the dead on the third 
day according to the Scriptures" (I Cor. 15 :3). But where- 
in was the exceeding greatness of this power? After what 
manner was a hyperbole established? 

The secret of power which the Apostle desires the Ephe- 
sians to know and the supreme knowledge that should be 
possessed by the Church of God lies at exactly this point. 
The power which God displayed at the resurrection of 
Christ when He raised Him up from the dead and seated 
Him at His own right hand is in this, that He not only 
raised up Christ from the dead and seated Him, but that 
He also simultaneously raised us up together with Him 
and seated us together with Him (Eph. 2:5,6). O to God, 
let praises swell ! 

Christ had died for our sins. With Him we went to His 
death. He could not leave us there, for with Him we 
arose in His life, but He could not leave us there, for with 
Him we were raised into heavenly places, "far above all 
principality and power, and might, and dominion," and He 
will not leave us there, for "when Christ who is our Life 



80 EPHESIANS 

shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory !" 
Let praises unto God arise. 

Nor is this all that is implied in the "exceeding great- 
ness" of power in Christ when He raised Him from the 
dead, for we cannot overlook the little word "us," for the us 
here refers to both Jew and Gentile. He not only got us 
together, but He raised us up together and the only place 
in the universe of which we know of Jew and Gentile being 
one is the place in Christ to which we have been raised up 
together. 



CHAPTER XI 
JEW AND GENTILE "TOGETHEK" 

sSpyfloE have been lost in wonder and amazement at the 
V 16} If display of Divine power exercised in the resurrec- 

<^^!L tion of Christ from the dead and His exaltation to 
the right hand of God. 

We found its power and potentiality consisted not only 
in the resurrection of Christ from the death to which our 
sin had borne Him, but in that He who went to the cross 
for us, arose from the dead with us. We were quickened 
"together with Christ, ,, "raised up together" and "made to 
sit together." 

"Quickened us together," "raised us up together," and 
"made us to sit together." Note the "us." The "us" here 
is the Jew and the Gentile who are now "one in Christ Je- 
sus" and are "one" in the Church which is His Body, in 
which Body none are reckoned as Jews and none are reck- 
oned as Gentiles. Both are "one in Christ Jesus." This is 
the first time the Jew and the Gentile were ever "together." 
The only place in the universe you can get the Jew and the 
Gentile together is "in Christ Jesus." In fact, the Jew and 
the Gentile were Divinely separated. God made choice of 
Israel (Deut. 32:9) and separated this nation from the na- 
tions. This national separation was to be maintained 
throughout their national history. 

"Lo, the people shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among 
the nations" (Num. 23:9). 

Their aloofness and aloneness was of Divine ordering. 
They were separated from the Gentiles by a "middle wall 
of partition" (Eph. 2:14). It was a barrier Divinely erected. 
This wall was to shut Israel in and the Gentiles out. The 
separation and preservation of Israel was necessary to 
God's purpose. It was not a display of favoritism on the 
part of God, for God is "no respecter of persons." Rather 



82 EPHESIANS 

it was that ultimately blessing might come to all the na- 
tions. God made choice for a channel. The individuality 
of the Jew and the Gentile, nationally speaking, is to be 
maintained to the end of human history. At present and 
in the Church, the Body of Christ, God is not dealing with 
either Jew or Gentile nationally. Israel has been tempor- 
arily set aside and the Gentiles are placed on the waiting 
list, as their blessing must come through Israel. 

The Book of Ephesians is concerned particularly with 
the Church which is God's provision for the crisis. The 
believing Jew and Gentile are one Body in Christ. The 
Ephesian letter gives emphasis to this fact and explains the 
Divine method by which it is accomplished. 

The cross is the measurement of all of God's mercies ! 
It contains all sufficiency for every and any crisis. The 
cross is the power of God and the wisdom of God. It is the 
medium of manifestation of any and all the attributes of 
God. The cross reaches to all length, possesses all 
strength and has within it all the requirements of Divine 
strategy! No blessing can ever come to any person, per- 
sons or peoples, at any time or anywhere in all the 
universe of God, apart from the cross. 

The cross is the instrument of any judgment whatso- 
ever which may ever come to any person, persons or peo- 
ples at any place, any time in the universe ! God dealt with 
sin at the cross and it is the cross which fixes the ultimate 
destiny of both the believer and the unbeliever. What 
Christ accomplished at the cross is as final as it is finished. 
Whatever reconciliation is effected between Jew and Gen- 
tile is the work of the cross. It is the foundation of all 
dispensation and the ground of all grace in Divine govern- 
ment. 

The "middle wall of partition" (Eph. 2:14) was removed 
by means of the cross. Christ's death was sufficient for the 
dilemma, closed up the division and revealed the character 



JEW AND GENTILE "TOGETHER" 83 

of the dispensation now present. Here is the record of this 
wonderful reconciliation. 

"For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken 
down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in 
His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments, contained in 
ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so mak- 
ing peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one Body 
by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby; and came and 
preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were 
nigh. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the 
Father" (Eph. 2:14-18). 

Thus we behold the Jew and the Gentile "in one Body by 
the cross" (2 :16). God has by fusion brought to a glorious 
end seeming confusion and this is called "His workman- 
ship." It is a "creation in Christ Jesus." It is indeed God's 
"masterpiece." Jew and Gentile now sing together as one, 
"He is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken 
down the middle wall of partition between us." 

That which made them twain is now slain and the result 
is "one new man." The Gentile was not raised up to the 
position of the Jew nor the Jew brought down to the posi- 
tion of the Gentile, but they both, without reference to the 
liabilities of the one or the disabilities of the other, are 
"raised up together" to a place and position transcending 
any promise previously published to either ! 

In Christ the Jew is not at advantage or the Gentile at 
disadvantage. 

There is wonderful contrast in the Disabilities of the 
Gentiles and the Liabilities of Israel. 

See them in distinguishing display. 

THE DISABILITIES OF THE LIABILITIES OF 

THE GENTILES THE JEW 

1. "Gentiles" (vs. 11). 1. "Who are Israelites" (vs. 4). 

2. "Uncircumcision" (vs. 11). 2. "The Adoption" (vs. 4). 

3. "Without Christ" (vs. 12). 3. "The Glory" (vs. 4). 

4. "Aliens from Commonwealth 4. "The Covenants" (vs. 4). 

of Israel" (vs. 12). 

5. "Strangers from Covenants" 5. "The Law" (vs. 4). 

(vs. 12). 

6. "Having no Hope" (vs. 12). 6. "The Services" (vs. 4). 

7. "Without God" (vs. 12). 7. "The Promises" (Prophecies) 

(vs. 4). 



84 EPHESIANS 

A glance at the balance sheet above will show much to 
Israel's credit. While the assets of Israel are great, so also 
the liabilities. The disabilities of the Gentiles are appalling. 
Certainly the above presents a vast difference and degree 
of distinction. 

In the Epistle to the Romans in chapter 1 we have the 
Gentiles to whom God had made Primeval Revelation 
through His Work (Rom. 1:19,20). This revelation was 
not received and the judgment of condemnation is passed 
upon them and they are declared by God to be "without 
excuse" (Rom. 1 :20). 

In the second chapter of Romans the Jew to whom 
God made Permanent Revelation in His Word, is also 
judged guilty with the verdict, "inexcusable" (Rom. 2:1). 

In the third chapter of Romans the Jew and Gentile 
are both judged guilty with the Divine declaration, 
"there is no difference, for all have sinned" (Rom. 2:23). 

Both Jew and Gentile were sinners because they had 
both come from the same and single person, Adam, and 
from one source. So also in Ephesians, God does not deal 
with distinctions and differences as privilege did not pre- 
vent guilt, neither does it merit grace. Grace reckons nei- 
ther with merit or demerit for then it would cease to be 
grace. It would be of debt and degree and these are 
never known to grace. It is not a question of the law, for 
grace is manifested apart from law. It is not a question of 
lawlessness, for grace abounds beyond all such. It is not 
a question of good works, for grace is manifested apart 
from works. The glory of grace is, that man's sin can- 
not hinder it or his good works help it. It is grace and 
grace is always grace or it ceases to be grace. 

Thus, regardless of their past or their privileges, the 
Jew and the Gentile are one by the work of the cross. 
While one formerly had access to God through the veil, 
the other was kept afar off in the court of the Gentiles, 
now, through Him they both have "access by one Spirit 



JEW AND GENTILE "TOGETHER" 85 

unto the Father" (Eph. 2:18). Upon the basis of Christ's 
death peace is preached to "you which were afar off" 
(Gentiles) and "to them that were nigh" (Jews) (Eph. 2: 
17). 

They are not foreigners now; they are fellow-citizens. 
The "exceeding greatness" of the power which God 
wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead is, 
in that He raised the Jew and Gentile "up together" 
and seated them "together in heavenly places in Christ" 
(2:6). But not in that elevation and exaltation to be 
known in the future as in the past, by racial distinctions, 
but as "one in Christ Jesus," nor does this by any means 
infer that hereafter God will not deal with Israel as a na- 
tion or with the Gentiles as nations. Such is not the case 
for God will resume the former national relations at the 
close of the present dispensation. 

Unfortunate indeed is the chapter division coming be- 
tween verse 23 of chapter 1, and the first verse of chapter 
2. Verse 1, second chapter, is a continuation of the Apos- 
tle's argument and undoubtedly follows 1 :20 in marvelous 
unity and continuity. 

At the close of chapter 1, Christ is raised from the dead 
and seated at God's own right hand, but not only Christ, 
but Christ "AND YOU." Chapter 2:1. "You hath He 
quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins." With 
what triumphant and telling force the Holy Spirit employs 
the words, "and you." The exaltation of Christ is not 
apart from "you." See another blessed example of this, 
"and you," in Colossians. 

"And having made peace through the Blood of His cross, by Him 
to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be 
things in earth, or things in heaven, AND YOU, that were sometime 
alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath 
He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you 
holy and unblameable and unreprovable in His sight" (Col. 1:21,22). 

In both Ephesians and Colossians the Holy Spirit sin- 
gularly stresses the bestowment of God's grace upon the 
Gentiles. They are first mentioned. It is here, as when 



8Q EPHESIANS 

Christ had risen and sent word for a meeting of His dis- 
ciples, "and Peter." 

This Epistle which is addressed to Gentiles speaks in 
this chapter first of them (vss. 1,2), then of the Jew (vs. 
3), then of what God had done for both — they were both 
"quickened together," "raised up together," and "seated 
together" with Christ (2:5,6). The last portion of this 
chapter reveals the manner and method by which this 
wonderful reconciliation took place. 

In verses 1 and 2, the Jew and the Gentile are shown 
alike, to be sinners. We believe the "you" and the "ye" 
in verses 1 and 2 refer primarily to the Gentiles and the 
"we" and "our" in verse 3, to the Jew. The self-right- 
eous Jew was the same in God's sight as the despised 
Gentile. In judgment God concluded them both under sin 
with "no difference." In love He raised them both up to- 
gether with no division. They are "one in Christ Jesus." 
They by nature, both stood guilty before God. The priv- 
ileges of the one or the poverty of the other did not affect 
grace in the least. In grace they share the same standing 
before God for by grace came their salvation. The merit 
of one or the demerit of the other counts for nothing. 

At this point we would give place to exhortation — two- 
fold: first, let the student remember that the union of Jew 
and Gentile into one Body, is in this chapter under discus- 
sion. The Jew and Gentile by the death, burial and res- 
urrection of Christ were raised from their natural sinful 
condition, one in Christ. A contrast between their past 
positions reveals inequality. Their sinful natures reveal 
equality. The death of Christ was for both alike and both 
became in this dispensation of God's great grace — equal 
sharers in Christ! 

Second: Let us remember the Bible is not a book of 
synonyms. If it were, where then would or could interpre- 
tation be established? Words are not used interchange- 
ably in the Scriptures; if so, then why "words which the 



JEW AND GENTILE "TOGETHER" 87 

Holy Ghost speaketh"? In this Divine Book of sixty-six 
portions, God says what He means and means what He 
says. For this reason let us study carefully the "ye" and 
the "we" of this passage now in consideration. Remem- 
ber that God is dealing with both Jew and Gentile of whom 
He hath made one Body. Question: Is "Body" the only 
relation of the Church mentioned in Ephesians? We 
think not. A close study will reveal four figures in Ephe- 
sians, viz., Body, Building, Bride and Bivouac. Of these 
we will speak in due time. 

THE CONDITION OF THE GENTILES 
At the close of chapter 1, we say a "working." It was 
the working of God in the resurrection of Christ. This is 
called the "working of His mighty power" (1:19). 

In chapter 2, there is another "working." The person 
working is the "prince of the power of the air" (2:2). He 
worked in the Ephesians as he now works in all the unbe- 
lieving and disobedient. The spirit of the "prince of the 
power of the air," says the Apostle, "now worketh" (vs. 
2). The character, course and conduct of the present age 
is under his control. This place he will hold until the 
consummation of this dispensation. From this person and 
his power those addressed in this Epistle had been de- 
livered. They had been delivered from "this present evil 
age," — it was the will of God (Gal. 1 :4). They who boast 
of being abreast the "spirit of the times," little realize that 
the spirit of this time is the spirit of the "prince of the 
power of the air." Indeed those who thus boast are of 
this self-same person and under his power. 

The believer has but one boast, — but one object of 
glory, — "the cross." The glory with which they glory in 
the cross is that by the cross they are dead to the age and 
the age is dead unto them (Gal. 6:14). The Christian has 
nothing to do with the present sinful order of things. The 



88 EPHESIANS 

present order is at discord with the will of God. Three 
things are said of their past thraldom. 

1. "Dead in trespasses and sins." 

2. "Walked according to the course of this age." 

3. "Walked according to the prince of the power of the 
air." 

Certainly the deepest depths are in Ephesians, as well 
as the highest heights. They were dead to God and alive 
unto sin. They walked "according to the course of this 
age." The Greek word used here for "world" is "aion." 
In most of the former passages the word "cosmos" is 
translated "world." They walked "according to the course 
of this age." What is the course of this age? What of its 
tend, trend and end? Is it spiritual or satanic? Is it of 
God or of men? Is it in a state of uplift or downfall? '-Is it 
in a process of evolution or does it bear the seeds of 
revolution Ms it moving upward to Christ or onward to 
antichrist? Does the present trend prophesy triumph or 
tribulation? Is this age an age of faith or an age of flesh? 
Does it love science or Scripture? Is its boast in "thus saith 
the Lord" or, thus doeth man? Does it respect law or does 
it receive lawlessness? Who is the God of this age and can 
the age be in character a thing apart from him, and can its 
end be otherwise than his end? What a terrible thing it 
is to walk according to the course of the age ! 

But were the Jews better for their privileges? Not one 
whit, for they came from the same source, fallen Adam. 

"They were by nature the children of wrath, even as 
others" (Eph. 2:3). 

The peculiar force of "even as others" should not be 
overlooked. The Jew had sufficient advantage that if there 
was anything good in man he would not be "even as 
others." The Jew was "even as others" because he was 
"even as others." What we mean is well expressed by 



JEW AND GENTILE "TOGETHER" 89 

Bishop Moule, who when commenting on the words "we 
also all" (vs. 3) says: 

"Saint Paul often insists on this one level of fallen nature." 

Look in Romans 1, the Gentile is guilty before God and 
"without excuse." In Romans 2 the Jew is guilty before 
God and "inexcusable." 

In Romans 3 both Jew and Gentile are concluded guilty 
and every mouth shut. In Romans, chapter 5, we find the 
cause. It is because "in Adam all sinned," — both Jew and 
Gentile. One was no better than the other and the other 
no worse, for all had sin in one and were one in sin. For 
this cause they are now in Christ Jesus. Says Ephesians 
2:3, But God who is rich in mercy, has "quickened us to- 
gether" and "raised us up together" and made us "sit to- 
gether." Condemned in sin "together" and raised with 
Christ "together." 

O the glory of the Gospel of grace which lays the foun- 
dation of the Gospel of glory ! 

O God, we who write and we who read, thank Thee, 
that "times past" are times past and forever past ! 

O the Divine tenses of Ephesians 2! 

Times past! Dead in trespasses and sin, walking ac- 
cording to the course of this age, under the authority of 
the prince of the air, living in the lust of the flesh and by 
nature children appointed to the coming day of wrath — 
"but now" the present tense, "raised and seated with 
Christ," and then, the future tense, "in the ages to come" 
set forth to display the riches of His grace! Let us who 
are so lifted, be bowed low! How rich grace is, will be 
best seen in the union of the Jew and Gentile in one Body 
in Christ! 

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy 
Ghost ! Amen. 

Before we proceed in our study of the Epistle to the 
Ephesians to that portion which is introduced at the open- 



90 EPHESIANS 

ing of the third chapter, a review and retrospect will re- 
sult in our blessing. 

In parsing the wonderful sentence which began with 
verse 3 of chapter 1, and concluded with verse 14 of the 
same chapter, we discovered that "in the dispensation of 
the fulness of times ,, God had purposed to "gather togeth- 
er in one, all things in Christ" (chap. 1 :10). 

The word "together" was there introduced and if the 
student will recall, this word, "together," has been much 
before us in these studies. Ephesians is the Epistle in 
which things get "together." In the "gathering" of things 
"together" the first step is, as we have seen to be largely 
the contents of chapters 1 and 2, the bringing "together" 
of the Jew and the Gentile. A summary will reveal the 
following : 

1. The Jew and Gentile were dead in sin "together." 

2. The Jew and the Gentile were raised up "together." 

3. The Jew and the Gentile were made to "sit together." 

4. Their union resulted in a building fitly "framed to- 
gether." 

5. They were "builded together" for an habitation of 
God. 

Thus we see a marvelous getting "together" which re- 
sulted in unity and oneness. Separated portions coming 
together into unity make for oneness and this "oneness" 
was also proclaimed in verse 10 (chap. 1 ) — "that He might 
gather together in 'one* all things in Christ." We have not 
only found often occurring the use of the word "togeth- 
er," but also the word "one." 

1. "He is our peace who hath made both one" (2:14). 

2. "Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, * * for to 
make in Himself of twain one new man" (2:15). 

3. "And that He might reconcile both unto God in one 
Body by the cross" (2:16). 

4. "For through Him we both have access by one spirit 
unto the Father" (2:18). 



JEW AND GENTILE "TOGETHER" 91 

The scattered things are being gathered together into 
one and this work will continue until the dissolution and 
separation brought about by sin and death is no more. 
What God commenced here will be continued until the 
consummation ! 

We now approach the study of the "Mystery," the way 
for which having been made ready in the preceding studies. 

This is amply indicated by the opening words of the 
Apostle in 3:1. There is unity and continuity throughout 
the Epistle. Says the Apostle, "According as I have writ- 
ten before briefly" (vs. 3). Evidently referring to the 
things in the preceding paragraph, from the thirteenth 
verse unto the end of the second chapter. 

The ministry of the "mystery" is now before us. It be- 
gins with the Prisoner and ends with the Prayer. It begins 
with the disclosure, and ends with the doxology. How 
precious this portion ! God open our eyes in answer to the 
former prayer of the Apostles in chapter 1 :18. 

We see at the opening of the chapter The Messenger 
(3:1-7); next The Message (vs. 6); then The Mystery 
(vss. 8, 9), and last, The Measurements (vs. 18). 



CHAPTER XII 
THE MESSENGER AND THE MYSTERY 

jTr^T/ OR this ministry of the Mystery, special Divine 
X rrr\ choice was made of an instrument through whom 
js-s-rp it should be made known, — this instrument was the 
Apostle Paul. Having not been originally chosen among 
the twelve, he is permitted to make known things the twelve 
never knew. They walked with Christ in His earthly min- 
istry, Paul's apostleship is related to the Living Christ in 
the glory, and it is in no way strange that things in the 
heavenlies should be the subject of His ministry and testi- 
mony. 

He whose call is from heaven is permitted to speak of a 
calling which is in heaven. Unto him was committed a 
"dispensation," a stewardship. God made him responsible 
for a "revelation" of which we are recipients. This mys- 
tery was given unto him by "revelation" (vs. 3). It was 
not the subject of any prophecy or any previous writings. 
Search where you will in Divine writings, you will not find 
this which is especially committed to him. There is noth- 
ing of it in the Old Testament from Moses to Malachi, or 
from the Pentateuch to the Prophets. Nor is it to be 
found in the writings of the other Apostles. It is Divinely 
and distinctively Paul's for publication. It was special 
truth committed to him as a sacred trust. He referred to 
it at another time as a "deposit." He was its administra- 
tor. It was not given for his own information and in- 
spiration, but for immediate publication, "which is given to 
me to you-ward" (vs. 2). 

"In other ages it was not made known unto the sons of 
men, as it is now revealed unto His holy Apostles and 
prophets by the Spirit" (vs. 5). It will be well to compare 
the "but now" of Ephesians 2:13 with the "is now" of 
Ephesians 3 :5. Of course the "holy Apostles and proph- 



THE MESSENGER AND THE MYSTERY 93 

ets" are New Testament Apostles and prophets, and the 
Apostles here mentioned are to be understood as New- 
Testament prophets. There is no contradiction here nor 
confusion, nor is there any confounding of Old Testament 
office with New Testament order. F. W. Grant at this 
point speaks helpfully: "He writes, after his manner, the 
names of others along with himself, and these, no doubt, 
were the dispensers under him of that which was to him, 
first of all, a personal revelation." 

Notice also the beauty of the words, "as it is now re- 
vealed unto His holy Apostles and prophets by the Spirit." 
It is the Holy Spirit who makes it known unto us. Paul 
may be the instrument to proclaim it, but the Spirit of God 
must make it known. One may hear and not .know, — the 
knowledge of the "mystery" must be brought to us by that 
blessed Spirit of God. He is not only the Sealer as we saw 
Him in 1 :13, but He is also the Revealer of Secrets as here 
declared. 

THE MYSTERY 
What is the "mystery"? It behooves us to be careful 
here, for it is possible to make the "mystery" a mystery. 
It is possible to cause to be concealed what God has re- 
vealed. Let us remember the "mystery" is a "revelation," 
not a riddle. It is something "made known," not something 
covered up. It was "hid in God," but is now manifest. In 
this "mystery" there is nothing which savors of the "black 
art" or the mystically mysterious. There are none of the 
vagaries of Gnosticism with which the Epistle to the Co- 
lossians so vigorously deals. It is not referring to things 
secretly hidden within veils and surrounded with inter- 
rogation and suspicion. The mystery of Ephesians is re- 
vealed plainly and particularly. The Greek word does not 
indicate the mysterious. It is knowledge for the initiated. 
It means something not known until shown, rather than 
something which is unknown. 



94 EPHESIANS 

Those "in Christ" may understand, not only so, but a 
standing "in Christ" is the only possible place of under- 
standing. That which was "hidden in God" was hidden 
from man until God wills to make it known. He now wills 
to make it known, and this is all the mystery with which 
we should surround the "mystery." We do not need the 
key to a house which is open. 

What the mystery is, is plainly stated, — 

"That the Gentiles 

(1) Should be fellow-heirs, 

(2) and of the same Body 

(3) and partakers of his promise in Christ by the 

Gospel" (vs. 6). 

We have thus separated the three clauses of this verse 
for classification. The use of the word "and" here admits 
of and justifies, we believe, such a division. Three things 
are before us for consideration and, we trust, serious and 
spiritual meditation, and remember, in the unfolding of 
this passage we are to see as its ultimate purpose the en- 
larging of the circle which is to bring about the "gather- 
ing together in one all things in Him." For the force of 
this mystery is a "fellowship." Of these things we do not 
dare speak until verses 9 and 10 have been reached. 

At verse 6 of chapter 3 we find the "Mystery" plainly 
stated. Three things are embraced, viz.: (1) "That the 
Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, (2) and of the same Body, 
(3) and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel." 
Let these three things be further considered. 

Here begins the unfolding of the unimagined contents 
of this wonderful revelation vouchsafed unto Paul. It 
concerns "Gentiles" and such were the Ephesians, and he 
was an "Apostle to the Gentiles" and had been given grace 
to "preach unto Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ" 
(see 3 :8). With what spiritual refreshing this special 
message came to them. In times past they were depend- 



THE MESSENGER AND THE MYSTERY 95 

ent upon Israel for their blessing. This was the Divine 
plan published from the beginning. Said God unto Abra- 
ham, "In thee shall all the FAMILIES of the earth be 
blessed" (Gen. 12:3). The very geographical position of 
the nations on the map of the habitable world was in 
relation to Israel (Deut. 32:8). 

The one nation, Israel, was the Divinely chosen chan- 
nel for national blessing. How well the Gentiles under- 
stood this is illustrated often throughout the Scriptures, 
but nowhere more vividly than in Matthew 15 :21-28. It is 
the Evangelist's record of the visit of the Syro-Phcenician 
woman to Jesus. We see first : The Woman, Her Daugh- 
ter, and Her Desire ; second : The Saviour, His Silence 
and Severity ; third : The Woman, Her Daughter and De- 
liverance. How seemingly severe was the Saviour when 
this Gentile woman called upon Him as the "Son of Da- 
vid," upon whom as a Gentile, she had no claim. He had 
come to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" and she was 
not of this "house." She was not a child of the "promise." 
The ministry of Messiah was not for her first, but for the 
"Jew first," and then the Gentile. He came to "His own" 
(John 1:11). He came to save "His people" (Matt. 1:21) 
and the only people called "His people" was Israel. How 
often throughout the Old Testament Jehovah cries, "My 
people." See notable example in the cry of Jehovah at 
Isaiah 1 :3, "My people doth not consider." See also, "My 
vineyard" in Isaiah 5. The purpose of Messiah's ministry 
and manifestation is clearly stated in Romans 15:8. 

"Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the CIRCUMCI- 
SION for the truth of God, to confirm the PROMISES made unto 
the fathers." 

The Syro-Phcenician woman was not of the "circumci- 
sion" and was a "stranger" to the "covenants of promise" 
made to the "fathers" and was without immediate claim 
upon the "Son of David." But she knew if He blessed 
"the children," then blessing would follow on and flow 
out to her as a Gentile, for this was the Divine order. 



96 EPHESIANS 

Jesus clearly and forcefully stated the object of His min- 
istry when He said, "It is not meet to take the children's 
bread and cast it to dogs." How remarkable was her wis- 
dom and how keen her wit, for said she, "Truth, Lord: 
yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their mas- 
ter's table." O that glorious title, "Lord," it leaps over 
the wall with which the title, "Son of David," surrounded 
Israel. She well understood the primacy and privilege of 
Israel, but she also knew that Gentile blessing followed 
subsequently upon Israel's fullness. (This is all changed 
now for Israel's blessing now awaits the fullness of the 
Gentiles. See Romans 11:25.) 

The blessing of the Gentiles through the blessing of Is- 
rael is always true when God is dealing nationally. It has 
been true in the past and will be true in the future, but is 
not true in Ephesians, for here God is not dealing national- 
ly with either Israel or the Gentiles. They are "fellow- 
heirs" in the Church — neither having precedence or 
privilege, but are of the "same Body" and are "partakers" 
together of an eternal purpose of God in Christ. This is the 
message of the mystery. This was not made known in 
other ages. It was "hid in God." That which was con- 
cealed is now revealed. It would have astounded any Old 
Testament prophet to have been told that there would 
ever be a dispensation in which the Jew and Gentile would 
be "fellow-heirs" and of the "same Body." It was nowhere 
traceable in the Old Testament. This is, we believe, the 
"unsearchable riches" of Ephesians. That God would bless 
Israel and through them the Gentiles was plainly discern- 
ible throughout the Old Testament, but this marvelous 
union and unity was given unto Paul for revelation when 
the time was due. And how harmonious is all this with 
Ephesians as a whole. In chapters 1 — 3 we have the 
Heavenly Calling, in chapters 4 and 5 the Heavenly Con- 
duct, and in chapter 6, the Heavenly Conflict. We began 
in our study of Ephesians with "all spiritual blessings in 
heavenly places." The revelation of the mystery through 



THE MESSENGER AND THE MYSTERY 97 

the ministry of Paul is in full harmony with the "heavenly 
calling" of Ephesians. For the sake of illustration let us 
imagine the following: It is announced that a Navajo In- 
dian, who is swift on foot, is to be entered in a speed con- 
test against an aeroplane to a given goal. Of course, the 
Indian must run his race upon the earth, for in the very 
nature of his being, he can not run anywhere else. The 
aeroplane must take its course through the trackless air, 
for in the nature of its organization, it can not do other- 
wise. The Indian was adapted to the earth and the aero- 
plane to the air. Which of the two may be more easily 
traced and tracked, the Indian or the aeroplane? The In- 
dian would leave his trail upon the earth and could be eas- 
ily tracked through his journey from the beginning to the 
end, for his race is on the earth. The aeroplane, which 
traveled in the heavens, left no trace whatever. 

The history of Israel, past, present and future, is easily 
traced, but the Church, which is of heavenly calling and 
heavenly vocation, cannot be traced. In fact, that there 
was to be such a body was wholly unthought of. There 
was nothing in the history of Israel or of the nations to 
indicate such a joint fellowship and heirship as revealed in 
this Epistle. Unquestionably it was mentioned by Christ, 
but was manifested through Paul. 

Note the triple fellowship brought out by the Revised 
Version in which the rendering of this sixth verse is as 
follows: "That the Gentiles are "fellow-heirs, fellow-mem- 
bers of the Body and fellow-partakers of the promise in 
Christ through the Gospel." Notice — Fellow-heirs, Fel- 
low-members, Fellow-partakers. Paul was the Divine 
instrument, but what was the Divine intention, for the 
"mystery" was embraced in the Divine purpose and propo- 
sition which we found early in the study of Ephesians, 
namely: "In the dispensation of the fulness of times He 
might gather together in one all things in Christ, both 
which are in heaven, and which are on earth." 



98 EPHESIANS 

The student will easily see that it is impossible through- 
out Ephesians to get away from the first utterances of 
the wonderful sentence which we found beginning at 1 :3 
and ending at 1 :14. We shall, by the help of God, and 
the illumination of the Spirit of inspiration, seek to ascer- 
tain the Divine purpose in the revelation of the mystery. 

To what purpose has God made Jews and Gentiles, 
"fellow-heirs and of the same Body"? If we have learned 
that He blessed Israel that He might bless the Gentile na- 
tions of the earth, is it not possible that if we see blended 
and blessed together in one Body, both Jew and Gentile, 
it is for blessing of yet other of God's creatures? If, 
through Israel, the earth was to be blessed, is it possible 
that through the Church, blessing is to come to creatures 
in the heavenlies? How deep is all this, yet how Divine! 
Can it be possible this is the "riches of the revelation"? 



CHAPTER XIII 
THE DISPLAY OF HIS GRACE 

"To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in 
heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wis- 
dom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in 
Christ Jesus our Lord" (Eph. 3:10,11). 

^T^TJLL, of God's benevolence is for creature blessing. 
£L|( He never makes revelation without reason. His 
J&JL program works always to His purpose. Nowhere 
is this Divine discretion on greater display than in His 
Divine choice of the Church and calling of the same. We 
have seen that God's provision for the earth and its bless- 
ing is ample in Israel. The "families of the earth" may rest 
assured that in God's choice of Israel their ultimate bless- 
ing is certain. 

But the peoples that dwell on the earth are not the only 
creatures of God which come within His love and purpose. 
Nor is the earth the only sphere which is to receive the 
benefits of Christ's redeeming and reconciling work. The 
spheres to which the redemptive and reconciliatory work 
of Christ extends are three : "Heaven," "Earth," and "Un- 
der the Earth." See Colossians 1:20 and also Philippians 
2:10, "In heaven — in earth — under the earth." The last 
Book of the Canon of Holy Scriptures, the Book of Reve- 
lation, is found to be a series of events taking place in 
Heaven, in Earth, and at chapter 9 — "under the earth." 

The scope and sphere of both God's Salvations and 
God's Condemnations, are but little understood. 

When God made choice of the Church it was for an 
"intent." "To the intent," says the Apostle. What is the 
intent? — "that now unto the principalities and powers in 
heavenly places might be made known by the Church, the 
manifold wisdom of God." 



100 EPHESIANS 

The word "now" is often used in this letter to the Ephe- 
sians. Says Morgan: "The word 'now' recurring more 
than once in the course of this letter, does not indicate 
immediateness of time, but introduces the statement of a 
result of a previous process." This is undoubtedly true, 
for the force of the word "now" is in that through the Di- 
vine call and choice of the Church, provision which was 
previously unknown is now made manifest. The word 
"now" by no means limits the display of God's wisdom to 
"principalities and powers" through the Church, to the dis- 
pensation now present. Its reference is also to the future. 
A summary of the situation as revealed in Ephesians is as 
follows : 

The Secret of the Church was "hid in God" (Eph. 3 :2, 
5,9). 

The Scale of the calling of the Church was "according 
to an eternal purpose" (Eph. 3:11). 

The Sphere of the calling of the Church is into "heav- 
enly places" (Eph. 1:3). 

The Service of the Church is unto "principalities and 
powers in heavenly places" (Eph. 3 :10). 

The Strife of the Church is "against principalities and 
powers in heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). 

The Scope of the ministry of the Church is to the "ages 
to come" (Eph. 2:7). 

Thus we see that throughout the Book of Ephesians the 
sphere is always "heavenly places." In previous lectures 
we discovered that "heavenly places" or the "heavenlies" 
is a fixed locality. We also learned that the premundane 
calling of the Church marked out for it a supermundane 
ministry. The ministry of Israel is unto the earth. The 
ministry of the Church is in the heavenlies. Thus we see 
the ever-widening circles of the benevolence and blessing 
of God to His creatures. We are of the earth, — earthy, and 
how little we know of things in the heavenlies. In our 
selfishness we would contain and consume the love of God 



THE DISPLAY OP HIS GRACE 101 

and the benefits of the cross upon ourselves, little realiz- 
ing that if God lavished upon us love, it was that through 
us, He might publish His own glorious acts and attributes 
unto others. 

Apart from His person, God's greatest glory is the glory 
He bestows upon His creatures. But is Adam's fallen race 
the sum total of the creatures to whom He would minister ? 
By no means! And is it from the redeemed of Adam's 
race alone He is to receive honor and glory? By no means ! 
It is the Divine intention, that "unto principalities and pow- 
ers in heavenly places," to display His "manifold wis- 
dom" and His own glorious character. 

Can it be possible that Gentiles, who had come to such 
ruin as Romans, chapter 1, and Ephesians, chapter 2 re- 
veals, and Jews of such character as Romans, chapter 2 
discovers unto us, — is it possible, we say, that these, be- 
tween whom there was no difference in nature, should be, 
by grace "raised up together," "seated together," "built 
together as members of the same Body," in coming ages 
be exhibited in "heavenly places unto principalities and 
powers," as a display of the variegated and manifold wis- 
dom of God? Yes, it is true for the will of God has pur- 
posed it; the work of Christ hath performed it, and the 
Word of God hath proclaimed it. 

If we "speak of earthly things" but few understand. There 
is dense ignorance on every hand concerning God's earthly 
purpose in Israel, but when we come to speak of "heav- 
enly things" as related to the Church and her distinct 
calling, we seem "to speak as fools." Indeed we speak 
not as fools but as wise, — "wisdom which the Holy Ghost 
teacheth." With what distortion and contortion the Holy 
Scriptures are handled! What confusion is therefore 
brought upon us ! The Church of God in ignorance, seeks 
to fulfil the vocation of Israel upon the earth, thus usurp- 
ing Israel's calling which issues not only in criminal neg- 
lect to Israel but also in spiritual disaster to the Church. 



102 EPHESIANS 

In the study of the Book of Ephesians with what force 
is the Apostle's prayer brought to us again and again, — 
"that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; 
that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what 
the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints." 
The saints do not know the hope of their calling, — they do 
not know what is "His inheritance in them." This the 
Book of Ephesians reveals and there is necessity of a 
wide-spread revival in the study of the Church Epistles. 
The International Sunday School Lesson Committee seem 
to 'be skilful in avoiding portions of Scripture which 
should be emphasized. Why not one year in the Epistles 
of Paul? Why not a few months' study of the "risen 
Christ, His risen people, and His heavenly purpose"? 

Remember that through the Church "unto principalities 
and powers" God will make a display of His "manifold 
wisdom," — wisdom in many phases and at many angles. 

He will display His wisdom in setting aside national 
Israel for a season and the calling of the Jew and the Gen- 
tile into one Body during that period of Israel's national 
rejection. 

He will display the Divine wisdom of choosing the 
Church from before the foundation of the world that there 
should be no conflict with Israel whom He chose from the 
foundation of the world. 

He will display His Divine wisdom and grace which 
takes no cognizance of the merits of the Jew or the de- 
merits of the Gentile, but reckons them as one for an eter- 
nal purpose. 

He will reveal His own glorious character in that He is 
just and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus. 

He will display how the jarring attributes of God met 
together at the cross, — "Mercy and truth are met togeth- 
er; righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Ps. 
85:10). 



THE DISPLAY OF HIS GRACE 103 

He will display the manner in which the cross complete- 
ly sustained His holiness of character and the love and 
mercy of His heart. 

He will display how mercy rejoiced over judgment. In- 
deed through the Church every phase of His wisdom in 
creation and redemption will be on display. It will be 
the marvel of created intelligences in heavenly places of 
which we now know but little and are left standing all 
amazed. It is an unthought of honor ! It is an unthought 
of glory! 

It is but little wonder that "wicked hosts" in "heavenly 
places" are at present waging warfare against the Church, 
knowing as they do that in the heavenly places in which 
they now hold dominion, the Church will soon be on dis- 
play. 

The very conflict of the Church indicates the calling of 
the Church. The present strife of the Church marks out 
the future sphere of the Church. The wealth of the Church 
may be, in some degree, estimated by the warfare now 
waged against the Church. Wicked hosts in heavenly 
places have made the Church the objective of their hate 
for a twofold reason: Usurpation and Revelation. At the 
coming of the Lord wicked spiritual hosts will be driven 
from their location in "the heavenlies" and their place oc- 
cupied by the Church. By this they shall suffer not only 
USURPATION of position, but of power also. 

In the realm or sphere where these wicked hosts have 
held governmental sway, we believe the Church will dis- 
play in grace, the "manifold wisdom of God." The mys- 
tery of iniquity reaches to the heights as well as to the 
depths. The dominion of the devil is not confined to the 
earth alone, but to "things in heaven" and "under the 
earth" also. "We (of the Church) wrestle not against 
flesh and blood." Ours is a more subtle warfare, if such 
could be. Ours is a conflict against the wicked hosts of 
the "heavenly places" to which God has called us. 



104 EPHESIANS 

Since the time God, through the Apostle Paul, made 
known the secret of the calling of the Church, these en- 
emies have sought to overthrow the Church and refute the 
Divine purpose. First, by blinding the eyes of the 
Church to the hope of her glorious calling and by seduc- 
ing her conduct to that unbecoming a heavenly calling. 
As to what success Satan has achieved one may easily 
behold in the present fallen state of the Church. Paul 
prays that the Church may have open eyes to know the 
"calling" and its "hope" (Eph. 1:18) and exhorts the 
Church to walk in the hope of the calling (Eph. 4:1,2). 
This is the remedy required and the remedy revealed. To- 
day in many a pulpit and on many a platform this hope is 
ridiculed. The Church is charged with being too "other- 
worldly" and for this reason it is "this-worldly." The sep- 
aration of the Church is its sanctification, all else is its 
humiliation and condemnation. May the Spirit of God 
show the Church that its end is translation, not reforma- 
tion, and that the position of the Church is separation and 
not confederation. 




CHAPTER XIV 

PAUL'S SECOND PRAYER 

3:14 to 21 

NCE again we are to hear the Apostle pray! Let 
silence and sobriety take hold upon us for "behold 
he prayeth." 

14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, 

15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. 

16 That He would grant you, according to the riches of His 
glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner 
man; 

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being 
rooted and grounded in love, 

18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the 
breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 

19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that 
ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. 

20 Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above 
all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. 

21 Unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout 
all ages, world without end. Amen. 

The First Prayer (chap. 1:17-23) followed the "eternal 
purpose" of God. So also does this Second Prayer (see 1 : 
3 and 3:11). 

In the study of Ephesians, whether in prayer or in prac- 
tice, we are never outside the "eternal purpose." The 
"eternal purpose" is disclosed in these two prayers in a 
twofold aspect: 

First : His eternal purpose in Himself concerning Christ ; 
Second: His eternal purpose in Christ concerning the 
Church. 

Christ and the Church are inseparable. Whatever is eter- 
nally purposed concerning one is vital to the destiny of the 
other. 

These two prayers have also a bearing on the structure 
of the Ephesian Epistle. By them the Epistle is separated 
into its two parts and by them the doctrinal portion is de- 



106 EPHESIANS 

veloped and concluded. The opening statement of the ar- 
gument of the Epistle is as follows : "Blessed be the God 
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." This is the begin- 
ning of that remarkable sentence which we sought to parse 
early in our study of this Book — a sentence extending from 
1 :3 to 1 :14. From this sentence we are never able to 
escape. It lives in the very warp and woof of the entire 
Epistle. Its statements recur again and again. These two 
prayers follow the rule and the First Prayer is addressed 
to "God" and the Second Prayer to the "Father." There is 
remarkable unity and continuity in these two prayers. 
When compared this is eminently evident. 

It is not so much the structure of this prayer we desire 
to emphasize, but the substance. How apt one is, in the 
study of the Scripture, to be concerned with the letter 
only, neglecting the Spirit. We must, however, be fully 
aware of the fact that apart from letter — the revealed 
Word — there is no spirit. The Holy Spirit rides triumph- 
antly in the chariot of the Word ! "The Word of God, 
which is the weapon of the Spirit." 

We have, in former studies, been considering the eter- 
nal purpose of God in the calling of the Church. The rev- 
elation of a "Mystery" through a messenger, Paul, of a 
ministry in the heavenlies, has held our attention, but now 
we are to be led into the Divine Measurements. We look 
for the grand summary. We are to learn something of the 
higher mathematics of the spiritual world and its realities. 
Something of the depths of God's nature and the distances 
of His love! 

In the first prayer the Apostle prayed that we might 
have the "Spirit of wisdom and revelation to know three 
things : First, the hope of our calling ; second, the riches 
of His inheritance in the saints ; and third, the exceeding 
greatness of His power which He wrought in Christ when 
He raised Him from the dead and gave Him His present 
seat. 



PAUL'S SECOND PRATER 107 

The petitions of the first prayer gather about the little 
word "What." Three "whats": (1) "What is the hope 
of His calling?" (2) "What is the riches of His inheritance 
in the saints?" (3) "What is the exceeding greatness of 
His power?" 

In this second prayer, the petitions cluster about the 
word "that." The four "thats": (1) That He would grant 
you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strength- 
ened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; (2) That 
Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; (3) "That" ye 
being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to com- 
prehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and 
depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which 
passeth knowledge; (4) That ye might be filled with all the 
fullness of God. 

Thus we see the four "thats" in this wonderful prayer. 
It is a prayer for the rooting and grounding of the believer 
in the faith of this overwhelming revelation which God has 
been pleased to publish. "That ye may be able to compre- 
hend," says the Apostle — braced up for it, "fully matched 
to the enterprise," says dear old John Eadie. 

Then comes the "measurements" and here they are: 
breadth, length, depth and height. Much speculation has 
been associated with these measurements. So much so that 
a church father wisely said : "Many wits run riot in their 
geometrical and moral discourse upon these dimensions." 

We have found more than a dozen attempts at exposi- 
tion, much of it helpful, some of it entirely speculative. 

Some have thought there was a reference here to the quar- 
ters of the heavens pointed to in the priestly gestures that 
gave name to the heave-offering and the wave-offering 
(Exod. 29:27). Some attempt to find here the mystery of 
the cross, as was expounded by Augustine, to signify love 
in its breadth, hope in its height, patience in its length and 
humility in its depth. Some have thought the Apostle here 
described a sphere or cube, equal in length, breadth and 



108 EPHESIANS 

thickness, representing the perfection and all including in- 
finity of God. 

Erasmus saw in it God's love reaching in its heights to 
the angels and in its depths into hell and stretching in its 
length and breadth to all the climates of the world. 

Some think it is a reference to "Divine wisdom." A 
great many commentators agree that there is reference 
here to the Tabernacle or the Temple and indeed this may 
be the interpretation of the passage, but somehow it seems 
to us that we are not obliged to go outside the Epistle it- 
self for the meaning of the passage. Indeed these dimen- 
sions or measurements appear to us to be a summary of 
the things previously discussed and in full harmony with 
the eternal purpose of God that is herein revealed. The di- 
mensions referred to are not the dimensions of the love of 
Christ, for by the use of the little word "and," the love of 
Christ is made a separate and an additional matter. 

We believe the fourfold measurements contained in this 
verse hold us to the main themes of the Epistle; the 
Church's Redemption in Christ and Christ's Revelation in 
the Church. Love is infinite and cannot be measured. Re- 
demption is finite and may be measured. Redemption lies 
absolutely within bounds marked and measured, purposed 
and published by God. 

Let us view the breadth of the eternal purpose of God as 
revealed in the Book of Ephesians. We have before dis- 
covered it, for we have seen the Jew and the Gentile in 
"one Body." Until the Church, Jew and Gentile were sep- 
arated by a middle wall of partition between them, but 
the breadth of the purpose of God in the Church of God 
spans them both and in its breadth includes them. We are 
confident the Apostle is praying that with "all saints we 
may comprehend the breadth of God's purpose as discov- 
ered in Ephesians." 

The length we also discovered in our former and earlier 
studies. We found this eternal purpose of God in the 



PAUl/S SECOND PRAYER 109 

Church lying beyond and prior to the foundation of the 
world. The Jew was chosen from the foundation of the 
world, but the Church was chosen in Him before the foun- 
dation of the world. 

The length to which it reaches is to the "dispensation of 
the fulness of times" — a distance never revealed concern- 
ing any other peoples but the members of His Body, the 
Church. This unquestionably is the length to which the 
Apostle refers in his prayer. 

In the study of the measurements as to length, see 1 :3 
and 1 :14. This is the distance covered in the Divine will 
and purpose in the Church. 

The depth to which the Apostle refers is the depravity 
from which both Jew and Gentile were taken in the grasp 
of grace. In chapter 2, the early verses, this is described. 
While in Ephesians we scale the heights of Divine design, 
in chapter 2 we also look into the depths of human deprav- 
ity. If you want to see the depths and the darkness of 
man apart from God, read Ephesians 2:1-3. This is the 
depth of which the Apostle speaks. 

The height is the supreme glory of this Epistle. From 
breadth and length and depth we now lift our eyes to the 
sphere which makes intelligible this entire Epistle. The 
height here mentioned is the "heavenlies." A sphere and 
location to which we are called (1 :3), in which we shall be 
displayed (3:10), and in the hope of which we should walk 
worthy (4:1) and in which sphere we are now in conflict 
against wicked hosts (6:12). The height is the "heaven- 
lies. " Let others speculate if they will, but we are in- 
clined to believe that these fourfold measurements which 
the Apostle desires we may be "able to apprehend" are 
themselves the sum and substance of the Epistle and not 
a foreign matter introduced into this Divine and sublime 
argument. 

We are now bringing our study of the first half of Ephe- 
sians to a close. The conclusion is the Doxology. The 



110 EPHESIANS 

Apostle- closed his first great sentence (1 :3-14) with the 
words, "To the praise of His glory," and now he himself 
joins in the praise. 

We have heard much of the purpose of God. The dox- 
ology speaks of the power of God. It is a "God who is 
able." The Apostle declares that "God is able to do," "God 
is able to do exceeding," that "God is able to do exceeding 
abundantly above all that we ask or think," and this by the 
power that worketh in us, and we have learned that the 
power that "worketh in us" is the power that God wrought 
in Christ when He raised Him up and seated Him in the 
heavenlies (1:19,20). 

The Epistle to the Ephesians never departs from its 
main subject, its theme first stated continues triumphant 
throughout the Epistle. 

How much we regret our lack of disposition for expo- 
sition ! O that God will give us more grace that we may 
have more grasp upon these things, the breadth, and 
length and depth and height of which, God will not be 
satisfied until all saints shall come to apprehend ! 




CHAPTER XV 
THE CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH 

E have reached that portion of Ephesians which we 
define as the Second Division of the Epistle and 
entitled, "The Conduct of the Church." 
From the Doctrine of the Epistle to the Deportment, we 
now continue the study of the Book. Following the 
"Amen" of the Doxology is the "I therefore" of the Prac- 
tical Portion. 

The "Calling of the Church" has been under considera- 
tion, henceforth the Conduct and the Conflict of the Church 
will claim our attention. We have been reveling in heights 
of heavenly Revelation, we must now consider our earthly 
Responsibility. To whom God has vouchsafed Revelation 
there attaches great Responsibility. What God has given 
in Revelation must be continued in Application. 

Says the Apostle : 

"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk 
worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness 
and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 
endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 
There is one Body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope 
of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and 
Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" 
<Eph. 4:1-6). 

Thus this "Division" of the Epistle begins. There is 
danger in making divisions of a Book of Holy Scripture. 
By such it is possible that what God has joined together, 
man may put asunder. Sometimes the divisions of a Book 
are indeed the division of the Book. Many times students, 
by seeking to set forth the order of a book, introduce dis- 
order into the book. This should not be so. There is not 
a commencement of something new in the Epistle to the 
Ephesians at this point, but a continuation. There is con- 
tinuity and unity. 



112 EPHESIANS 

There is no change of subject for the "heavenly calling" 
demands the "heavenly conduct." To turn from the doc- 
trinal to the practical is not a break or a breach. There is 
no divorcement of Christian doctrine and Christian doing 
or between faith and works. The normal Christian walks 
as he talks. 

The Apostle makes vital the relation between interpreta- 
tion and application. A "heavenly calling" is followed by 
"heavenly conduct" which calls forth "heavenly conflict." 
There are the simple divisions of the Ephesian Epistle 
which also argue unity. The one follows the other and we 
move from faith to fight. 

Whatever is laid down in the doctrinal portion of this 
Epistle is not deserted in the practical portion. Whatever 
follows in this portion, now under consideration, is vitally 
related to that which has preceded. The unity of the Book 
is everywhere maintained. The "vocation" results in 
"provocation." Let us see. The Apostle was made the 
chosen instrument of God to make known a "mystery" or 
a "secret" which had been "hid." This "mystery" or "se- 
cret" concerned the union of Jew and Gentile in one Body 
— which subject we have considered together for much 
time and is disclosed in former lectures. Inasmuch as the 
Jew and the Gentile were "condemned together" and were 
together "dead in trespasses and sins" and were "quick- 
ened together" and "raised up together" and "seated to- 
gether" and "built together" in "one Body" in Christ in 
the heavenlies, then let the unity which obtains in the 
heavenlies be maintained in the earth. This is the simple, 
yet sublime argument and when understood will explain 
everything subsequently developed in this Epistle. 

Says Morgan, "From the doctrine of the heavenly call- 
ing he passes to the duty of the earthly conduct. These, 
however, are not two things, they are interrelated." 

Says Moule: "Scripture always brings the doctrinal into 
the practical, as reason and mainspring ; and nowhere more 
than in this Epistle." 



THE CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH 113 

Thus we find that the unity created in the doctrinal por- 
tion of this Epistle is contained in the practical ; in fact, 
this Epistle centers about "unity." Behold its threefold 
character : 

I. The Unity Created (Eph. 2:5,6, 14, 16, 18). 

II. The Unity Continued (Eph. 4:3-6). 

III. The Unity Consummated (Eph. 4:13). 

In the Church, the Body of Christ, the Jew and the Gen- 
tile are one Body in the heavenlies. They must be one 
Body on the earth. The unity determined in the heaven- 
lies must be displayed on the earth. We well enough know 
that there is only one place where the Jew and the Gen- 
tile are one; and that is in the Church. This is the one 
place God ever intended them to be one. In other dispen- 
sations past and to come they are to be divided and dis- 
tinct. If in the Church the Jew and Gentile now go in one 
Body and are to maintain the unity of the Body it must 
be accomplished as herein stated, viz., with all lowliness 
and meekness and long-suffering, forbearing one another in 
love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the 
bond of peace. There is never division, confusion or disil- 
lusion, disagreement or diversity where lowliness and 
meekness, long-suffering and forbearance prevail. How 
practical is all this, and yet how potent and with what 
power it comes unto us in these days of divisions and dis- 
locations ! How much we should take to our hearts this 
exhortation ! We glibly sing, "We are not divided, all one 
Body we," but in fact there are divisions and distances be- 
tween us which are not only disgusting to the world but 
displeasing to God. Oh, for the Divine healing of the breach 
in the Body of Christ ! Oh, for the Divine unction to bring 
us to the Divine unity ! Oh, that the Church of God might 
realize its organism rather than idealize its organizations ! 
Says the Apostle, "There is one Body and one Spirit, even 
as you were called unto one hope of your calling." The 



114 EPHESIANS 

hope of our calling demands the harmony of the called 
ones. The peace which the Blood of Christ made between 
the Jew and the Gentile is a bond which should not be 
broken. It is called by the Apostle the "bond of peace," 
a bond which was created by the Blood of the Redeemer. 
One body must of necessity have one spirit. Who could 
conceive of two spirits in one body with unity issuing 
therefrom? The telescopic unity revealed in this Book is 
perfectly wonderful. Behold the same: 

"There is one Body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one 
hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and 
Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" 
(Eph. 4:4-6). 

Notice one Body, one Spirit, one calling, one Lord, one 
faith, one baptism, one God and Father, making a total of 
seven unities, which unity God has made and which unity 
must be kept. At what distance is the departure of the 
Church from this sevenfold unity we leave our readers to 
judge. It is a cause of much sorrow to us. But this bond 
of peace which brought together Jew and Gentile into one 
Body also lays the foundation for the basic unity which 
is to be continued and consummated in the Body. The 
Christian's character and conduct is not one to be lived 
among the fellow-members of the same Body, but it moves 
out into the Social Sphere in life among fellow-men. It 
also reaches the Domestic Domain. This is as it should 
be for there must be with the individual that which char- 
acterizes the incorporation. 

These things will come under consideration in our next 
lecture. 

The Spirit of God through the Apostle continues the 
argument by showing that the unity of the Body is de- 
clared by the diversity of the members, but "unto every 
one of us" says he, "is given grace according to the meas- 
ure of the gift of Christ" (Eph. 4:7). This bestowal is the 
beneficial blessing resulting in the ascension of Christ and 
to some this introduction of a quotation from the Psalms 



THE CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH 115 

appears to be out of place, but certainly it is not, for when 
He ascended and took His place in the heavens it was be- 
cause there was no place for Him on the earth. Having 
been rejected by Israel and refused by them David's 
throne, He sat down in the heavenlies and is now bestow- 
ing ascension blessings upon the Church. He "ascended 
up far above all heavens that He might fill all things" and 
in Ephesians 1 :23 we learn that His Body is the fullness of 
Him that filleth all and in all. In the filling up of all 
things He required the Body which is the fullness of Him 
that filleth all things. It would be a matter of precious 
profit to the student to trace through the Ephesian Epistle 
the continuous use of the phrase "all things." He who 
has purposed in the dispensation of the fullness of times 
to gather together in one all thinas in Christ, has found 
Divinely necessary the Church that He might fill all things. 

In the gifting and the gracing of the Church and in the 
diversity of bestowments God hath made contribution to 
its Divine unity. Says the Apostle, "He gave some apos- 
tles ; and some, prophets ;. and some, evangelists ; and some, 
pastors and teachers," and this is as the revised version de- 
clares "for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of 
ministering unto the building up of the Body of Christ," 
which diversity will ultimately issue in the unity which is 
Divinely desirable. 

Why should we be tossed to and fro and carried about 
with every wind of doctrine? Why should the sleight of 
men who, with craftiness, bring in the wiles of error — why, 
we say, should these things disturb the Church of God 
which is growing up "in all things into Him who is the 
Head? Every false doctrine which divides the Church, 
distresses believers, disturbs harmony and peace could 
quickly be corrected if the calling of the Church as re- 
vealed in the Epistle to the Ephesians, was fully under- 
stood. Proper conduct in the body of believers would 
properly follow the hope of such a calling as herein is re- 
vealed. It is with sadness we must regard the failure to 



116 EPHESIANS 

recognize the diversity of gifts in the unity of the Body. 
A young man desires to enter the ministry because he has 
been told that he has a good personal presence and the 
gift of speech. How ignoble is all this, yea, how abomi- 
nable ! Personal presence is nothing — the presence of God 
is all. Personal gifts are nothing — the gifts and graces of 
the Spirit are everything. God cares nothing for what we 
are in temperament, though He may use the same. His 
concern is in the truth. The human type is nothing — the 
Divine truth is all. It is better to trust in the Word of God 
than the works of the flesh. Who has failed to notice the 
tendency to deprecate and depreciate the offices which God 
Himself has placed in the Church? Says He: "Some apos- 
tles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, some 
teachers." To-day there is a cry going up from many pas- 
tors against evangelists. Indeed there are evangelists who 
should be cried against, for in manner and message they 
are to be condemned, but the office of evangelist must not 
be overlooked or underrated. It is of God Himself. Those 
evangelists who have been Divinely gifted and graced of 
God in the spirit must be received and respected as the 
pastor or the teacher. They each contribute to the unity 
of the Body. Pastors, teachers, evangelists are all fitly 
joined together, compacted and companionshipped and fel- 
lowshipped "according to the effectual working in the 
measure of every part" (Eph. 2:16). Oh, that God may 
open our eyes to the holy Body and its holy unity ! 

Beginning at verse 17 the Apostle becomes exceedingly 
practical and personal. He exhorts them concerning their 
walk and concerning their talk. They are reminded of their 
past practices and their present position. They are told 
what to put off, what to put on and what to put away. 
Five times the Apostle pertinently uses the word "let." 
"Let not the sun go down upon your wrath." "Let him 
that stole steal no more." "Let him labor." "Let no cor- 
rupt communication proceed out of your mouth." "Let 
all bitterness and wrath and clamour and evil-speaking be 



THE CONDUCT OF THE CHURCH 117 

put away" (Eph. 4:26-32). How beautiful is the use of 
this word "let" ! It savors not in the least of human effort 
to do, but speaks of the Divine power to accomplish. "Let" 
these things be done, permit God to do them, hinder not 
such operation, fully permit in Christian resignation, "let," 
child of God, He will do it, let Him do it. Those defiling 
sins and debasing desires thou canst not cleanse, there- 
fore, "LET." When the soul is willing God works. 



CHAPTER XVI 

SPIRITUALITY IN THE SOCIAL SPHERE AND 
THE DOMESTIC DOMAIN 

S^»3HE spiritual life affects the social life. Thus the Di- 
(>/?) v * ne or< ^ er * s ' * n tne present day, perverted. There is 
"">$— >^ an attempt to create a social life that will create a 
spiritual life. This cannot be. The spiritual life will create 
the social life. Things set socially right cannot create 
things spiritually right, but when things are spiritually 
right they will be socially right. Without a new life in 
Christ there can be no true life in the community. The 
present day emphasis on so-called "Social Service' , utterly 
ignores the spiritual life. It is of humanitarian source and 
knows nothing of the spiritual. The emphasis is placed 
upon a man's relation to his brother rather than a man's 
relation to his God. It is a bond of the flesh and not a 
bond in the faith. When man is in right relation to God, 
He will be in proper relation to man. Never till then. 

The Book of Ephesians, which is particularly a Book 
addressed to the Church, does not deal with the subject 
of Social Service. It does not teach that the calling of the 
Church is to correct the social situation, it distinctly de- 
clares the days to be "evil" and exhorts that they be "re- 
deemed" (5:16). It does not deal with the solidarity of 
society, but with the union of believers. It is not a ques- 
tion of community of society but the communion of saints. 
It is not social service which is urged, but sacrificial serv- 
ice. It is as children to God, created so in Christ Jesus, 
that the Apostle Paul is here exhorting. We are delivered 
from the former hate. We have put on the "new man" 
and put off the "old man," therefore the "lets" of the con- 
cluding portion of chapter 4. Now we are to walk in love 
and in light. Filthiness and foolishness are gone. There 
is no departure here from the exhortation concerning the 



SPIRITUALITY IN SOCIAL SPHERE AND DOMESTIC DOMAIN 119 

maintaining of unity. Having had our "old man cruci- 
fied" with Him, we are now united to the new. Our identi- 
fication with Christ was not at the incarnation, but 
rather in His resurrection. Between the old life and the new 
life there are a number of sharply and spiritually drawn 
contrasts. Formerly it was falsehood, now it is truth; 
formerly malice, now mercy; formerly stealing, now giv- 
ing; formerly corrupt speech, now edifying speech. It was 
formerly hatred, hereafter it is love. The past life was 
filled with impurity, hereafter purity; formerly there was 
folly and foolishness, now faithfulness, but the dynamic for 
it all is the Divine calling and the power for the accom- 
plishment is the power which God wrought in Christ, that 
the believer might enjoy the position he has in Christ. 
"God is love/' "Walk in love" (chap. 5 :1, 2). "God is light," 
"Walk in the light" (chap. 5 :8). If God is light, fellow- 
ship with Him and "have no fellowship with the unfruitful 
works of darkness" (chap. 5:11). "God is light," therefore 
walk as in the light (chap. 5:13). Arise from the darkness 
of death, Christ will give thee light (chap. 5:14). Be not 
filled with spirits producing drunkenness, "but be filled 
with the Holy Spirit" (chap. 5:18). Indeed this entire 
portion is a Book of instruction for the walk of the believ- 
er. There is not a social evil that is not rebuked, nor a 
spiritual need that is not supplied, and every exhortation 
is to be obeyed in the light of the opening exhortation at 
4:1, "Walk worthy." 

Not only do we behold the social sphere, but we move 
also into the innermost domain of the domestic. The 
Apostle intrudes the Christian faith into the family. Here 
unity also is to prevail and to be preserved. The husband, 
as Christ, is at the head, the wife, as the Church, is sub- 
ject to the head. The divorcement of this Divine order is 
the cause of the disorder and disruption in multitudes of 
homes. The minister of God who is called upon to officiate 
at the solemn marriage ceremony is often exhorted by the 
bride, to be sure to "leave out the word 'obey.' " But God 



120 EPHESIANS 

has not left out the word obey. Any woman who is not 
ready to obey the man she marries is not in proper rela- 
tion and has not sufficient love for the man who seeks to 
marry her. "Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for 
the Church." The husband loves the wife and is to give 
himself for the wife. Where love is supreme, obedience 
may be complete. The married life of Spirit-filled believ- 
ers takes on the mystical meaning which exists between 
Christ and the Church. All that the Church is to Christ, 
the wife is to be to the husband. All that Christ is to the 
Church, the husband is to the wife. Thus the unity is 
marvelously marked. Paul declares this is a "great mys- 
tery," but marriage in which this mystery with its deep 
meaning is not understood or is misunderstood is a marri- 
age of meaninglessness. As Christ and the Church are 
united, so also the husband and the wife. They are mem- 
bers one of another as believers are members of His Body. 

Children are next brought into view. The unity is also 
maintained, for children are the product of union of husband 
and wife, also fathers as the heads of the house are exhort- 
ed to maintain proper relation to their offspring. The 
Ephesian Epistle knows nothing of present day practice of 
fathers delegating to the mother the care and conduct o( 
the children. The father must hold his place of headship 
over the children as well as the wife. Fathers must not 
provoke their "children to anger," and children are to be 
"nurtured." 

The average parents to-day know nothing of this "nur- 
ture," but few children are "nurtured." This superficial 
and artificial age has changed the word "nurture" to "cul- 
ture." They want their children cultured, not nurtured, 
therefore they seek to culture their children and fail to nur- 
ture them and what a thankless brood they have! It is 
but little wonder that Paul, in describing to Timothy con- 
ditions prevailing in the latter times, said, "Disobedience 
to parents." Ephesians says, "Obedience, children," "nur- 
ture, fathers," but the fathers nurture not, and the children 



SPIRITUALITY JN SOCIAL SPHERE AND DOMESTIC DOMAIN 121 

obey not, and this sad situation could be corrected by the 
instruction of the Book of Ephesians. Parents see that 
their children get education at any price, but nothing for 
their edification is provided. Yes, education has taken the 
place of edification and culture the place of nurture. We 
have heard parents say, "My child must learn to dance to 
be graceful." They desire grace for her person, forgetting 
that her greatest need is grace in the heart. The failure of 
fathers in the instruction and correction of their children 
is startlingly exemplified in the Holy Scriptures. How se- 
verely God smote Eli for his failure to constrain and re- 
strain his sons ! The bitterest cup David ever drank was 
the wickedness of Absalom and Adonijah. In the latter's 
case we learned the secret: "And his father had not dis- 
pleased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done 
so?" (I Kings 1:6). Children cannot grow up without 
righteous rebuke. Does any son love his father because, 
over his father's authority, he always gets his own way? 
Certainly not. Adonijah rose up against him and pushed 
him off his throne. All that read will agree that the Book 
of Ephesians holds instruction which is greatly needed in 
the domestic circles of the present time. 

HUSBANDS, WIVES, CHILDREN, read Ephesians 
5:21—6:4. 

Then there is the problem of the servant in the house. 
It is a question of social equality and inequality. It is the 
problem of social distinction and differences, but even here 
unity must prevail. With God there is no respect of per- 
sons (chap. 6:9). The place one may fill does not de- 
preciate the person they are. Servants are exhorted to 
obedience, knowing that their service is unto Christ. 

Morgan has said, with much meaning, "As to servants, 
the key for their service is that it is to be unto Christ." 
As to masters, the pattern of their authority is given in 
the declaration, "Your master is Christ," therefore we find 
the master and the servant. When the servant serves in 
the sight of Christ and the master subjects in the light of 



122 • EPHESIANS 



Christ, there is Divine unity preserved. How practical is 
all this portion of Ephesians and yet how powerful ! How 
simple and yet how spiritual, how human and yet how 
Divine ! 



CHAPTER XVII 
THE CONFLICT OF THE CHURCH 

'E have been throughout Ephesians tracing a new 
i R \i y T ° v d °^ Scripture which we found at the very open- 
<^^t ing of the Epistle— the word "heavenly" (Eph. 1 : 
3). We have studied the heavenly Calling of the Church, 
the heavenly Conduct of the Church, and now the heavenly 
Conflict of the Church. 

Says the Apostle : 

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand 
against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and 
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers 
of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high 
places" (Eph. 6:11,12). 

Here we find the conflict of the Church to be in the 
same sphere and locality as the calling of the Church, 
viz. : "heavenly places" or the "heavenlies." This is in 
harmony with the trend of the Epistle and altogether to 
be expected at the end of the Epistle. If the Church is 
called into the "heavenlies" and is to exercise a future min- 
istry in the "heavenlies," then the present conflict of the 
Church is waged against it from the "heavenlies." 

There is a present "wrestle," a warfare waged — but not 
against flesh and blood — members of the Church, the Body 
of Christ have been delivered from a flesh and blood bond, 
— therefore no occasion to wrestle against flesh and blood. 
The Church is not contending for a position and place on 
the earth where "flesh and blood" is in contest, and con- 
flict for a possession, therefore the conflict must come from 
another sphere and from enemies of a different character 
and kind. 

Flesh and blood of the three great divisions of mankind 
are to-day in conflict — they contend for the earth. The 
nations struggle against nation. The Church is neither 



124 EPHESIANS 

Jew nor Gentile, bond or free, therefore has no part or place 
in the struggle. Indeed speaking strictly within the Scrip- 
tures, the Church is not even on the earth, it is viewed by 
God as seated with Christ in the heavenlies. Positionally 
it is there, conditionally it is here, but spiritually it must 
reckon itself dead, buried, raised and seated with Christ in 
heavenly places. If the conflict of the Church is not against 
"flesh and blood," against who is it? 

"Against principalities, against powers, against the 
rulers of the darkness of the world, against spiritual wick- 
edness in heavenly places." 

Four times "against." Four things "against," — "princi- 
palities," "powers," "rulers of darkness," and "spiritual 
wickedness." 

Let us ponder and consider these persons and powers of 
the underworld now holding possession and position in the 
upper world. Who are they? Where are they? Why are 
they? 

They are wicked spiritual hosts in military organization 
camped and entrenched in the heavenlies. They are invis- 
ible agents of wickedness in an organized spirit world. 
They are the rulers of the darkness of this age. They 
actually exercise rule over this world in this age time of 
darkness and delusion. They direct the energy of the age. 
They are unquestionably organized in military order. Mil- 
itarism not only prevails on the earth but maintains in the 
heavenlies. Intimations and allusions to this organization 
may be found in Ephesians 1:21, Colossians 2:15. The 
Book of Revelation seems to open unto this very sphere 
and describes a future struggle (see Rev. 12:7-9). The 
leaders of these hosts alone are mentioned. 

When Christ was raised up from the dead and exalted to 
the highest point in the universe, He passed through these 
organized ranks who were powerless to prevent Him pass- 
ing through and up. Says Ephesians 1 :20 : "Far above all 
principalities and power and might and dominion." Christ 



THE CONFLICT OF THE CHURCH 125 

has been raised infinitely above them and they wait be- 
neath His feet for their future humiliation and casting 
down. 

From Gethsemane to the glory, Christ was engaged in 
mighty conflict. In the Garden Satan attempted to send 
Him to the cross bereft of His reason or to kill Him before 
He reached the cross and thus refute the Divine plan and 
purpose in redemption by the Blood of His cross. In this 
he failed. At the cross the serpent met the "woman's 
seed" and scored a seeming victory. He bruised the heel 
of the "woman's seed," beyond the heel he had no power 
and the heel he bruised will in turn bruise his head and this 
shortly. Read Romans 16:20. The cross was Satan's de- 
feat. Here God's David takes the sword of Goliath and 
pierces him with a mortal wound. 

Satan's attempt to hold Him in the grave, that He might 
see corruption, also failed. It was not possible for "death 
to hold Him" and He saw "no corruption." If He had been 
born of Adam's nature He would have come to the end of 
Adam's progeny, but He was declared the Son of God by 
the resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1 :4). He arose from 
the dead! He was the first-fruits of them that sleep. 
"They that are Christ's at His coming" — (Come quickly 
Lord Jesus!). The law took Him to the grave but had no 
power to keep Him in the grave. 

Again, however, must He meet the enemy — this time at 
the ascension and enthronement. Satan had delighted in 
His humiliation not knowing that it was the basis and 
ground of His exaltation. Says Philippians, "The death of 
the cross, WHEREFORE God also hath highly exalted 
Him" (Phil. 2:8,9). The cross is the instrument of His 
exaltation. The route to His exaltation is by way of ascen- 
sion. "He has gone into heaven," says Peter, "and is on 
the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers 
being made subject unto Him" (I Peter 3:22). They did 
not become subject unto Him without struggle. Not wil- 



126 EPHESIANS 

lingly, for Peter is not speaking of unfallen angels, for they 
remained subject to Him, but of fallen and rebellious angels 
and spirits who are made subject unto Him. They opposed 
His ascent. Having failed to keep Him from the cross they 
now unite in attempt to defeat Him from reaching the 
throne. For once upon the throne it will be but a short 
space when His enemies are His "footstool" (Ps. 110:1). 
He is to sit upon His Father's throne only "until." He 
awaits an advent. His ascent assures His advent. With a 
position now above them and with a purpose to return to 
the earth, will result in the casting down of their ranks. 
He will sweep them before Him and route them from 
their position. 

In our judgment the great conflict of Christ was not only 
through His earthly life, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Ga- 
batha, Golgotha, the grave, but it extended into the heav- 
enlies at the ascension where He met with a hate and 
hostility exceeding anything previously experienced. The 
twenty-fourth Psalm may speak of this event and ascent. 
"Let the King of Glory come in," cries the voice of a 
watcher within the gate. Who is the Lord? "The Lord 
strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle," is the an- 
swer. What battle? The Battle of Gethsemane! The Bat- 
tle of Calvary I The Battle of Joseph's Tomb ! The Battle 
of the Ascent! Let Him in! It is the Mighty God-Man 
Warrior ! 

There was opposition to His ascension — there was at- 
tempt at prevention. With the might and majesty which 
characterized every movement of His redemptive program 
He passed through "principalities, powers, mights and do- 
minion." He went "far above" them. They are far be- 
neath His feet rather than above His head. 

Having failed to defeat Christ, the Head of the Church, 
they now turn their attention to the Church, the Body of 
Christ. God has purposed that the "heavenlies" will be 
the sphere of the future service of the Church (see Eph. 



THE CONFLICT OF THE CHURCH 127 

3:10). Its calling is heavenly, its ministry will be heaven- 
ly, therefore its conflict is "heavenly." The place now oc- 
cupied by "wicked hosts" will be then occupied by the 
Church. The Church must realize the character of this 
conflict and be properly armored. "Put on the whole 
armour of God," says the Apostle, "that ye may be able to 
stand against the wiles of the devil." The word wile is 
"stratagem," cunning art of a spiritual foe. Not a flesh 
and blood conflict where human wit must meet human wit, 
but a warfare issuing for the secret counsels of a world 
of darkness and demons. This is the one and only sphere 
of the conflict and contest of the Church. All other en- 
mity to the Church is created and promoted from this seat 
of antagonism. 

Satan seeks to blind the eyes of believers to their heav- 
enly calling and heavenly conflict. His purpose is to keep 
the hope of the Church centered upon the earth. To-day 
we hear much in great public meetings of what the Church 
has lost. Some say, "The Church has lost its power." 
Others say, "The Church has lost its vision, the Church has 
lost reverence, passion," and what not? The real loss of the 
Church is its primitive calling, — its early hope. With the 
return of this hope of the calling all else will be returned 
and restored. The Book of Ephesians is what the Church 
needs. A vast majority of its ministers are in utter igno- 
rance of this "calling" and this "conflict." To some we 
write as fools. A multitude of ministers admonish the 
Church to a world task. The Church is bent to this hope- 
less task when it should be erect and alert to this heavenly 
hope. 

For our part we do not urge the Church into the work 
of reformation but unto the hope of translation. We do not 
exhort the Church to seek a home on the earth but to hold 
a hope in the heavenlies. We believe God's purpose and 
plan is better than the propaganda of man. Though often 



128 EPHESIANS 

severely criticized we can hold no other hope in the light 
of a rightly divided Word. 

The only weapons of warfare necessary for the Church-. 
or any member of it will be found in this passage (Eph. 6 : 
11-17). They alone are sufficient to meet the enemy 
against which we wrestle. Here are the weapons : Truth, 
righteousness, the Gospel of peace, faith and the Word of 
God. With these only can the Church stand against the 
wiles of the wicked one. This panoply is sufficient for the 
persons and powers against us. Let us fight in the armor 
of the Lord. Let us lay aside human mailed fists and coat- 
of-mail. The whole armor of God is enough for the Churcb 
of God. The day is evil. Let us stand in the only armor 
in which we can stand against such foes. 

Truth which is ours by Divine revelation, Righteous- 
ness which is ours by Divine imputation, Peace which is 
ours by Divine reconciliation, Faith which is ours by Di- 
vine impartation and the Word of God which is ours by 
the Spirit's interpretation, is enough to fully equip the 
Church for its warfare ! 



mSBAEF 0F CONGRESS 



022 208 168 3 



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